What You Wish For
by Kitty Rasputin
Summary: What will Sarah do when the Goblin King shows up? What will he do? JS THE END
1. I Wish

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my notebook and my floppy disk.

"You have no power over me." The astonished words spilled from Sarah's lips before she could stop them. She had never remembered the line before. She didn't even know what came next. She had wanted to nail that passage before moving on.

The crystal in Jareth's hand burst and suddenly Sarah was back in her living room. A barn owl flopped around on the floor and flew out the window before she could call it back.

"Wait! I didn't know what would happen. I want to go back. I didn't know!" Sarah's own voice woke her up. There was no need for her to even guess what she had been dreaming about. She already knew. The same dream had haunted her sleep every night for the past seven years.

She stared at the clock. Five a.m. Sadly, she realized there would be no more sleep for her tonight. Sighing, she flipped the light on and pulled out her running clothes. Since she wouldn't be able to sleep, she could at least do something productive. Running had become a daily habit of her life in the past few years.

She crept out of the house as she thought about the curves life had thrown at her. Almost immediately after she'd returned from the Underground, her father had gotten a promotion and they had moved away from the only town she had ever called home. The people in her new school had treated her with such cruelty that she spent most of her time studying and working ahead in the library. She actually did so much extra work that she managed to graduate two years early. Then, her mother had shown up back in her life just in time to drag her away to London.

She clenched her jaw and tried to force her thoughts away from the city and the events that had taken place there. At first, it had all seemed like a grand adventure. She had spent her days taking classes at Oxford and had even managed to make a few friends. When she wasn't studying, she was discussing medieval art or history at one of the local coffee shops. Occasionally, she would sneak her friends into the theater to watch her mom rehearse one of her plays. She even got used to living almost independently. She took care of buying all the groceries and cleaning the apartment. The only thing her mom really did was pay the bills. It had been the first real happiness she'd had since the Underground.

Then, one day, everything had changed. She kept her eyes on the path ahead of her and managed to blink back tears as her thoughts inevitably turned to the dark times that had come her way. The crime in London turned horribly violent. It had gotten so bad that you couldn't even go a day without hearing about more than one murder. People started getting scared to even walk out their front door to go to work in the morning. Two of her friends had been mugged and Sarah herself had nearly been raped. Even now, she still couldn't remember how she had gotten away, but she had the irrepressible feeling that somebody had been watching out for her.

Her footsteps slowed as she reached the gate of the cemetery. She had stuck out her final year at Oxford and had returned home the day after graduation. Ever since the attack, she had been running two miles a day. At first, she was content to do her running on a treadmill. After she'd returned from London, though, she realized she had to get out of the house. She couldn't decide whether she was just preparing herself for the next time it could happen or trying to outrun her past.

_Had it been so wrong to turn down her dreams?_ The thought came so unbidden that she had no time to repress it. It all came down to her last confrontation with Jareth. Oddly enough, that had been the last important event in her life. Nothing had come even remotely close after that. She had wanted to go back since the second she had left.

Vaguely, she realized she had been standing at the gate for a few minutes without moving. She had to physically shake herself to get her mind on track. If anybody had seen her they would have thought it strange, but the cemetery was stuck back in the woods off the beaten path. She knew why she had instantly been attracted to this place. It had such an air of magic around it that she could practically taste it. The old cemetery had been almost forgotten and was evident in the tall weeds that surrounded the tombstones. Still, Sarah couldn't seem to tear herself away from the place. Every morning, almost like clockwork, she arrived at the gate and let herself in.

Instead of wandering aimlessly through the tombstones like she normally did, Sarah went straight to the bench she knew was at the back of the graveyard. She was tired. Tired of waking up to a reality that she didn't want to belong to. She curled up on the hidden bench, safely sequestered from prying eyes by an ancient willow tree.

The irony hit her with the force of a semi. Here she was, a girl so sick of living in this world, surrounded by dead people. She started laughing bitterly until the tears streamed down her face. "Oh, I wish…"

"Be careful what you wish for, Sarah. Remember what happened the last time."


	2. Forget Me

What You Wish For by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 2- Forget Me

Disclaimer-I own Labyrinth! Yes, I have the video, the special edition DVD, and a signed copy of the script. Not to mention some nifty film cells with Jareth in them. Sigh! Gotta love ebay.

She stared at him in shock. For a few wild seconds, she thought she'd actually gone over the edge and started hallucinating. Then, his image swam before her eyes and the world went black.

Jareth swore under his breath. He should have anticipated this reaction after all this time. He'd only appeared to her once since she'd left the Underground and had done his best to remove his presence from her memory. It had been an emergency then and he was fairly sure that this time had been just as urgent. He'd caught a glimpse of her tear-stained face before she'd seen him. He suddenly cursed himself for being so arrogant. Sarah neither needed nor deserved his wisecracks.

He knelt down to brush her hair away from her face, but paused when he touched her forehead. She was burning up. His eyes raked over her small form and noted how much weight she'd lost. "Sarah, what have you been doing to yourself?" The bitter truth struck him as soon as he asked the question. He had been checking in on her from time to time, but had never seen how hard she pushed herself. Her depression had been so gradual that he hadn't even seen it happening.

Jareth had to repress the urge to carry her off to his castle and nurse her back to health. Unfortunately, the presence of a human in the Underground always attracted too much unwanted attention. There was no way for him to get Sarah there secretly, either. He was breaking the rules by just seeing her. Instead of making him angry, the thought only served to make him more pleased. Since he was already in trouble, it wouldn't hurt for him to use some magic. He gently lifted her in his arms and disappeared.

By the time he reappeared in Sarah's bedroom, she still hadn't moved. The knot of worry in his chest only loosened when she sighed deeply and unconsciously shifted closer to him. He had to force himself to lay her down and step away. His heart was pounding wildly, but he was blinking back tears at the same time. It was shredding his soul apart to see her so vulnerable.

"Sarah, my dear Sarah, I can't do anything to help you. I'm not even supposed to be here. I have no power over you anymore." Suddenly, his tone turned very harsh. He knew she couldn't hear him. "You should have moved on, Sarah. You are killing yourself over that bloody wish! You need to start living again." His last words were almost whispered. "It's better if you just forget about me."

Gently, Jareth brushed his lips against her forehead. He silently vowed this would be the last time he would see her without his owl-form. He turned to the open window, but paused. It wouldn't hurt for him to conjure some food for her. He flicked his wrist and a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast appeared on her desk. On impulse, he reached down and placed a perfectly-ripe peach next to the plate. It wasn't enchanted like the one he'd given her years ago. It was just his way of reminding Sarah of his bad side and the things he'd done wrong.

Jareth glanced at her sleeping form once more. He knew it had to be this way, but it still didn't make it any easier. The last thing he saw before he disappeared in a burst of glitter was an astonished and angry face staring at him from the open doorway of Sarah's room.

So, what did you think? Sorry it took so long to update, but I had lots of college stuff to do. Thanks to all my reviewers. (Is that even a word?) I hope this chapter meets your expectations. Next chapter- who knows? I haven't figured it out yet.


	3. Confusion and Council

What You Wish For by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 3-Confusion and Council

Disclaimer-I own nothing, except for a pen and a floppy disk. Also some granola bars.

Toby had woken up to the sound of a male voice. He knew it wasn't his father and intelligently figured that it was the sound of Sarah's television. He would have gone right back to sleep, but his brain kept trying to focus on the familiarity of the voice. He knew that he'd heard it before. He tried concentrating on what was being said, but the house had gone oddly silent. He quietly slid out of bed and padded down the hall to Sarah's room. He was determined to ask her why he'd recognized the voice.

The sight that met his sleepy eyes made him stare in shock. The goblin king stood in the middle of Sarah's room with an expression on his face that no eight-year-old could decipher. While Toby watched, he conjured a peach and set it by a plate of hot breakfast food.

That small action only made Toby mad. Had it been any other type of fruit, it would have caused no reaction at all. Didn't he know that Sarah hated peaches? Didn't he know that he was the reason Sarah was sad all of the time? He opened his mouth to tell Jareth all of this, but never got the chance. The goblin king disappeared in a burst of glitter before his very eyes.

He knew that he had missed something important. Sarah was wearing her running clothes and tennis shoes, yet she was sound asleep in her bed. He hesitated, then climbed in beside her.

Sarah could feel somebody in bed with her and instantly woke up. Her foggy mind jumped to its own ridiculous conclusion that she couldn't quite brush off. When she saw Toby, she forced herself to relax. She must have just fallen back asleep after she'd put her clothes on.

"What's wrong, Toby? What are you doing in here?" She smoothed his bangs away from his face.

He wanted to tell her about Jareth, but he couldn't quite find the words. He settled for as close to the truth as he dared. "I couldn't sleep. I thought I heard somebody talking."

Sarah listened, but couldn't hear anything in the house. "I've been having trouble sleeping myself." The smell of food caught her attention and her gaze wandered over to the plate. "Did your mom come in and leave me breakfast?" The thought was oddly comforting, until she remembered that Karen and her father had gone away for the weekend.

Toby didn't say anything. He wasn't sure if Sarah would figure it out or not. He would not mention Jareth unless he had to. "I'll go get you some orange juice," he said as he rushed out of the room.

Sarah was racking her brain, trying to remember what had happened. She could have sworn she'd gone running and ended up at the graveyard. The last thing she could recall was seeing Jareth's face. She abruptly got out of bed and started pacing. There was no way it could have happened. She must have just been dreaming. Still, that couldn't account for the breakfast that had magically appeared. There was no way Toby could have made it.

She whirled around to stare at the offending plate, but froze. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hesitantly reached for the peach. She knew now that she hadn't been dreaming. Jareth had been there. She crumpled to her knees and brought the peach up to her lips. She vividly remembered what had happened the last time. More than anything, she wanted to go back to the Underground. Even though she'd been in danger nearly all of the time and had a time limit, it had felt so natural for her to be there.

The questions whirled through her mind. Why had he come back now? Had it just been to gloat over her predicament? No, otherwise he wouldn't have brought her home. Despite everything that had happened between them in the Underground, she still could not believe that he was that cruel. He had brought her home and made her breakfast out of kindness, not cruelty. Still, why had it been now? What had happened to make him appear to her at such a desperate time in her life? She closed her eyes and whispered to herself. "Goblin King, Goblin King, take this life away from me!" Then, she bit into the peach.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Nothing had changed. She was still sitting on the floor of her bedroom with the peach in her hand. Disappointment flooded her senses and she had the urge to throw herself into her closet and stay there for the rest of her life.

Toby stepped into the room balancing a tray of cereal, orange juice, cup, and silverware. He saw Sarah on the floor with the peach. Desperation was etched all over her face. He knew that she had guessed about Jareth. He said the first thing that came to mind. "He looked sad."

It would have been tempting for her to act like she didn't know who he was talking about, but she couldn't bring herself to stoop that low. It would have been a betrayal of everything she had just convinced herself of. "You saw him?" Her voice carried such a desperate note that she nearly cringed when she heard it.

Toby almost took pity on his sister. It had been hard on her in high school and in London. Even a child like him could see it. "It was his voice that woke me up. I didn't even get to say anything to him. He looked sad, though. It was like somebody was making him do something that he didn't want to." He set the tray down and curled up beside her. "Do you want to go back, Sarah?"

She stared at her little brother, astonished that he had such insight. Of course, she had made her attitude blatantly obvious. It also didn't hurt that Toby had a brilliant I.Q. "Yes, but I don't know how to get back. I don't even know whether I'd be welcome if I could get into the Underground."

Toby wrapped his arms around her neck, but remained silent. Sarah didn't need to know that he already had a plan.

Jareth reappeared in his throne room, only to find half of the council was already there. He had to feign surprise for their benefit. In truth, he had known they would show up sooner or later. He had broken the law by seeing Sarah without being wished to. "Well, to what do I owe this visit?"

"You know very well why we're here. You appeared to that mortal girl and used magic in her presence." It had to be Tanith that spoke up. She had despised Jareth ever since he had turned down her proposal. When word had spread that he'd fallen for a human, Tanith had been the one to pass the law prohibiting human-fae relations.

"That's funny," he mused. "I thought I was walking around my family graveyard. How was I supposed to know that she would be there? I only used my magic to transport her out of there and she was unconscious at the time."

"Did you not also conjure food for her?" The question was raised by an older fae in the council. Jareth knew the man to be a fair judge and, more importantly, one that had fought against the prohibition of inter-racial relations.

Jareth suddenly understood why the fae was posing that question. He was trying to give him a way out. The council knew what he'd done, but not how. "Of course I conjured food. How else was I supposed to get the girl to forget my presence?" It was, of course, one of the half-truths he had gotten so good at telling. He had conjured the peach to make Sarah want to forget him, but the rest of the food was merely there to entice her to eat.

There was a sudden murmuring as the council digested this information. Tanith looked furious that he had managed to pull an explanation out of his hat. "You still broke the law. Using magic in front of a human is a crime. You should be thrown into your dungeon and tortured by your own subjects." Her voice had gotten shrill and several of the council members looked at her nervously. One of the ladies stepped forward to calm her down, but Tanith ignored her. "That human girl has clouded your judgment. I'll bet that Sarah doesn't even return your feelings. You've probably fallen head over heels for a mortal slut that won't even look at you twice." She laughed at him triumphantly, certain that she had the situation pegged right.

Jareth saw the trio in the doorway a split-second before they made their presence known. He groaned silently, the premonition of what would happen next crystal clear in his mind.

"Sarah friend!" The large, orange yeti howled the words at Tanith. He actually looked ready to lumber forward and hit her. The rest of the room backed away from Ludo quickly, but left an obvious path to Tanith open. Jareth, on the other hand, knew that the gentle beast was not the true threat to anyone's safety.

"Dost thou dare speak of thy fair lady like thus?" Sir Didymus sprang forward, swinging his spear at any offending party. "Take back thy words or I shall be forced to slay thee."

Hoggle, ever the coward, was the only one that hung back in the doorway. "Great, we have to go and make the council mad. He'll separate us for sure this time. Still, they shouldn't have said things about our friend like that."

Jareth's patience was wearing thin. If anything, the council's presence only confirmed that he had done right by going to Sarah when she needed him. "I believe you'd be wise to apologize, Tanith," he growled lowly. "Most of my subjects have a close affinity to Sarah and they take great offense to somebody making degradations on her character." By himself, Jareth would have tolerated Tanith's remarks only because he knew the motive for them was jealousy. To have Sarah's name sullied in front of her most loyal friends was an entirely different matter. They had befriended her even when they had known of the possible punishments that could have occurred.

Tanith sputtered with outrage as some of the council members giggled at the slight understatement. She had expected support from them on this subject. She glanced toward Ludo and Sir Didymus nervously. Then, instead of giving any kind of apology, she disappeared.

Ludo looked around in confusion. "Gone?" He stared at every corner of the room, probably expecting Tanith to show back up. Hoggle stepped forward and pulled his big friend back towards the door. "Your Majesty, we'll just wait outside until you need us." He was obviously trying to make up for the faux pas they'd just committed.

"No, Hoggle, you will remain right where you are. I'm going to need that report as soon as the council departs." He turned to the remaining members, trying to gauge their reactions from the whole scenario. He fervently prayed that the law would be revoked very soon. He didn't need the council watching his owl-form as well as his fae body.

The council debated for a few more seconds. The older fae that had spoken earlier, Caravel, announced their decision. "We do not believe that you have committed any crime, Jareth of the Goblin Kingdom. We regret any inconveniences that we may have caused you. Also, we hope that any offense caused by Tanith of the Dryad Kingdom will be resolved in a reasonable manner." At these words, the rest of the council disappeared until only Caravel remained. "I know that this is not the first nor the last time you've had unapproved contact with the girl. I would also like to inform you that I am taking steps to have this accursed law removed for all eternity. It is completely ridiculous and goes against anything that the fae have ever stood for. I hope I'll have your support in this matter."

Jareth nodded mutely. He had vaguely expected something like this from Caravel. Before he could say anything to him, however, the fae had gone. "Well, Hoggle, you have no need to report who has been in my family graveyard. I have found out by myself. It was Sarah. How she found it is the only thing that remains a mystery."

"Sarah? She's not even fae. The only way she could have been able to see a fae cemetery is if she had some source of magic. I don't understand, your majesty. Where would she get that kind of magic?" His face was clouded over in confusion.

Jareth stared at the dwarf, one of the few times he had done so without malice. "I believe I gave it to her."

So what did you think? I knowit has been a while, but give me a break. I've had a lot to do. Plus, there is the fact that this chapter took a lot longer than I thought. Yes, I know. I had to add a few new characters. I didn't want to, but my muses beat me over the head until I was forced into submission.

Lady of the Labyrinth-Yes Jareth is a rebel,but he has to be. There is nothing vaguely submissive about him. That's possibly why we all love him. I'm very glad you hate me, because that means that I might have actually done something right. Plus, I couldn't resist using that title. It doesn't just mean what Sarah wishes for, so who else can it mean? I'm not just referring to Jareth either.

LODOWN-I'm glad you like the darkness. I know this chapter may have had a little fluff, but it couldn't be helped. Fluff is good, but so is angst. I'm just glad that not all of Sarah's angst has to do with Jareth. She has been through a lot of nastiness after the Underground and that will be revealed more in later chapters.

Alright, tell me what you think. Is there actually some semblance of good or is it complete and total crap? Either way, let me know.

Kitty Rasputin


	4. Fun and Tragedy

What You Wish For by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 4-Fun and Tragedy

Disclaimer-I own a bag of Skittles, lunch money, and a bottle of water. Everything else I just pretend is mine. Like my review people, I own all of them!

Sarah recovered fairly quickly in the presence of her little brother. She didn't want her negative attitude to affect him in any way. She talked and made jokes, completely ignoring the topic of the Underground. She even polished off the breakfast Jareth had left for her.

When Toby begged for a walk around town, she couldn't help indulging him. She hadn't had much time with him when she'd been in London and she regretted it. They had been close in a way that nobody else understood. It was not just because Toby was the only other person that knew about the Labyrinth. He was the brightest ray of sunlight she had in her dull life. Essentially, he was the thing that kept her going.

Inevitably, Sarah's thoughts turned to Jareth. Her normally brilliant mind could not wrap around the idea of him showing up. She had no clue whether or not she would still be thinking about him if her life had turned out differently. There was a chance that she could be happily married by now, but somehow she seriously doubted it. She had never been extremely popular with boys even before she had moved. She had always spent more time reading and acting out her plays than hanging out with others. The idea of marriage was actually as strange to her as a martian landscape. She was suddenly struck by the fact that she had never even considered getting married. She shook her head sharply. She didn't want to consider the reasons for that too long.

Thankfully, Toby chose that point to interrupt her reverie. "Sarah, what is that? I've never been here before."

With a start, she realized that she had ended up at the cemetery for the second time in a day. "Oh, no, I really didn't mean to come here. Come on, Toby, let's get out of here. I really don't want to be here again today."

He looked around in wonder. "This is where you saw Jareth, isn't it?" He didn't wait for her to answer, but stepped through the open gate and started wandering around. "This is very strange, Sarah. Look at these tombstones. I've never seen anything like them. I think they might be Jareth's family."

She stared at the headstones as if she'd never seen them before. How could she have not made the connection? She had read the names over and over in the past few weeks, but had never connected Jaren, Jennica, and the others with Jareth. She now saw an incredible resemblance between the tombstones and portions of the labyrinth and even the castle beyond the Goblin City. "I don't think we should be here, Toby. I have a feeling we're trespassing where we don't belong." The graveyard was suddenly eerie instead of magical and Sarah knew it could never be her special place again.

"Can we rent some movies?" Toby's earnest expression shattered her gloomy mood so completely that she vaguely wondered if he had retained some magic from his time with Jareth. She had read all the stories and it wasn't unheard of. Still, she could find no fault with his almost everlasting good mood.

She grinned at him. "We can get some movies only on one condition. We have to have popcorn, ice cream, cotton candy, and all sorts of junk food." She threw her arms in the air to emphasize her point. Toby giggled and Sarah could no longer think of him as a magical entity. He was just a little brother that was excited about a weekend with his older sister.

"Mom won't be happy with you for giving me that much sugar, but I don't care. They won't even be back until late tonight. Please Sarah!"

"Okay, lead the way." She closed the gate and started following him down the hill, but glanced back over her shoulder. _I'm sorry Jareth. I didn't mean to intrude._

Toby knew Sarah needed to get her mind off of Jareth. He hadn't seen her in a mood like this since she'd started going to her new high school. She'd come home nearly crying because the other students had jeered at her and ridiculed her in ways that Toby didn't want to think about. She'd been quiet and subdued for about three days after that, then suddenly became very determined and methodical in her actions. It was almost like the new Sarah had done away with the old one. Toby fervently wished that it would not happen again. She had just started acting like her old self.

He had hoped that the walk would cheer her up. Everybody in the family knew about her habit to go running before the sun was even up. Instead, they had ended up at a strange cemetery. He'd felt drawn to the tombstones. He had a flash of memory then, so clear that there was no way it could have been a dream. "My father, Jaren, died in the war a long time ago. It wasn't long after that Jennica, my mother followed him. She died of a broken heart. You see, Toby, these are the only two ways a fae can die, other than treachery from their own kind. If you stay here long enough, you will become a fae as well." Stupidly, Toby had said his thoughts out loud.

His mistake had been blatantly obvious the moment he saw Sarah's face. The horror etched on it was echoed by her whispered words. The idea for getting videos had come out of nowhere. As he asked about it, Toby put every ounce of energy he had toward making her happy. Almost as if he'd flipped a light switch, Sarah came to life. She was immediately back to her old self, the way she was only with him. He ran down the path in front of her, but still managed to see her look back at the graveyard. He silently vowed to find out Jareth's feelings for her. First, though, he wanted to spend the day having fun with Sarah.

Several hours later, the living room looked as if it had been hit by a tornado from the world of Candy Land. Skittles, M&M's, and popcorn were scattered all over the room. Toby was wearing a bunch of cotton candy on his head like a crown. There were red vines dangling from the chandelier and a few haphazard gummy bears were stuck to the ceiling.

Sarah stared around the disaster area. "I really think your mom will kill me this time," she said. Then, she laughed. "How did you make such a mess, Toby?"

He looked rightly offended at this. "Me? You're the one that started throwing popcorn at the television every time Beetlejuice showed up."

She leaned back against a pile of blankets. "I couldn't help it. He's just so bloody annoying. Besides, I'm not the one that started licking gummy bears and throwing them at the ceiling, although I did help a little," she conceded. She surveyed the mess once more. "How about you start picking the candy off the floor while I get a chair to pull the gummy bears off the ceiling?" She picked up a bunch of dirty dishes on her way to the kitchen.

All in all, it had been a fairly effective day. They had watched cheesy Halloween movies and just sat around eating junk food. She had no fear that, even if Karen and her father came home early, she could explain the mess without too much hassle.

A knock sounded at the door, startling Sarah so badly that she nearly dropped what she was carrying. She hastily set the bowls on the counter, wondering who would bother showing up at such an odd time of night. The sight of a policeman on the other side of the glass was the last thing she expected. "May I help you?"

The man pulled his hat off and, for the first time, Sarah noticed it was pouring outside. In her experience, that had never been a good omen. "Miss Williams, I'm afraid I have some bad news." Her chest tightened so suddenly that she could barely breathe. "Your parents were in a car accident tonight and I'm sorry to say that they didn't survive."

"Me too," she replied woodenly. Then, the news truly sank in. "Oh God, I can't believe it. Noooo!" She fell to the floor as she cried.

The sound of her yell reverberated off the walls and brought Toby running. He took one look at the scene and, having watched as much television as he did, knew the only reason the officer could be there. He rushed into Sarah's open arms and started crying his eyes out.


	5. Surprises: Bad and Good

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 5- Surprises: Bad and Good

Disclaimer- I own a box of cough drops. That's about it.

Jareth was restless. In his experience, that was never a good omen. He paced around the throne room, oddly devoid of any goblins for once. Despite his best intentions, he couldn't keep his mind off of Sarah. Somewhere in the middle of the afternoon, he'd felt two beings enter his family graveyard. He'd assumed it was just some members of the council trying to verify his story. It wasn't until a few minutes later that he'd heard her voice. _I'm sorry Jareth. I didn't mean to intrude._ He'd started pacing then. It was the only thing keeping him from going to her and telling her exactly how he felt.

The Goblin King knew he had to get the girl out of his head. It could be potentially dangerous for both of them. Still, she seemed so much frailer than she had before. He had a feeling that it wouldn't be smart to leave her alone. He sat down in his throne and leaned back, finally deciding that he could not help keeping an eye on her.

Noooo! The shout echoed through his head, causing him to bolt upright. He conjured a crystal to see what new horror had arisen. His eyes narrowed as he saw both Sarah and Toby crying as though their entire world had ended. He quickly changed into his owl form to get Aboveground. There was no doubt in his mind that this was an incredible crisis. Every time he had looked in on Toby in the past seven years, the boy had been continuously happy, even at his grandmother's funeral. For Toby to be crying, it had to be tragic.

He made his journey as quick as he dared. He didn't want the council noticing his actions. There was no way he could afford their interruptions, especially if it was as bad as he feared. He landed on a branch outside of the living room, not five minutes after he'd looked into the crystal. He peered inside just in time to witness something he thought was very strange. Sarah was crawling around the room, picking up popcorn and bits of candy from the floor. There was almost no trace of tears on her face. If it hadn't been for her constant muttering, he would have believed he'd imagined it all. He strained to hear what she was saying.

"I have to take care of Toby now. We are the only family each other has left." She wiped back the start of a new batch of tears just as Toby came back in with Lancelot, her old teddy bear.

"What's going to happen to us now, Sarah?" Toby's normally cheerful tone was sorrowful and unsteady. He clutched the bear as though it were his entire lifeline.

"I'm going to take care of everything. Don't you worry. I'll take care of you, Toby. Just remember that I will always be there to take care of you. In fact, you're going to be stuck with me for the next ten years." She laughed wickedly, hoping to cheer him up. Then, she chased him around the room in an attempt to tickle him.

Jareth was sad for the pair, but, at the same time, proud that they were coping so well. He was the only one that noticed the tan sedan pull into the driveway. A well-dressed woman got out, vaguely reminding him of Karen. He flew at the window, anxious to warn Sarah of the stranger.

Sarah had finally captured her younger brother when she heard a strange scratching at the window. They both looked up to see a white barn owl clawing at the glass. "Jareth?" She lifted the window just as the front door swung open.

"My goodness, this place is an absolute pigsty. I suppose this must be your fault." She pointed a well-manicured finger at Sarah. "Go get some clothes, Toby. You are coming home with me."

Unnoticed by anyone, Jareth hopped through the window. He wanted a close look when Sarah lost her cool. It didn't take long. "Just who in the heck do you think you are? You can't just walk into my house and start giving demands. Toby is staying right here."

The lady snickered at her outrage. "I am Karen's sister, Eliza, and in a few days I will own this house and have complete custody of Toby. Once the will is read, I hope you can get your things out of here quickly. I'll want to sell it as soon as possible."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Toby yelled. He grabbed Sarah's hand and held tight. "I'm going to stay with my sister."

"That's right," Sarah said stubbornly. "Until you have something legal, you are not welcome in this house. Now, get out."

Eliza smirked. "Once this is over, you will be left with nothing. You will have to scrounge for your food like some beggar." She cackled with laughter.

"Thanks for your concern, but I graduated from Oxford. I think I can take care of myself." She practically shoved the horrible woman out the door and slammed it behind her. "Come on, Toby. It's time you were in bed. I promise I won't let her take you away."

It took some time for her to get Toby calmed down enough to sleep. She trudged down the stairs, not at all anxious to continue cleaning. The sight of a spotless living room left her staring in shock. Seeing a well-dressed Goblin King watching television on her couch only widened her gaze. She had completely forgotten he was there.

He looked up as she entered the room. Sarah could see the pity so clearly in his eyes that she had to turn away to avoid it. She could think of no easy way to start a conversation, but he saved her the trouble. "What will you do if she gets custody?" His voice was soft, lacking the mockery she had grown accustomed to.

Even though the situation was serious, she could not help trying to mess with his head. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I fought my way to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you had stolen." She saw his eyes widen slightly. When she finally looked him in the eye, he could practically see the green fire blazing from hers. "I will not lose him again, Jareth. He's the only reason I have for living."

The astonished look on his face didn't even make her blink. "Why are you even here, Jareth? If it's about the cemetery, I really am sorry. I didn't know I was trespassing on your property."

Jareth couldn't speak the first thought that came to his mind. His mouth just couldn't form around the words that would dismiss an apology as unnecessary. Instead, he settled for a thought that had been pushing its way to the front of his mind. "How did you find out it was my property?"

She looked mildly surprised that he had ignored her other comment. Of course, the Goblin King only answered questions if he felt like it, which was probably not very often. "Toby told me. I'm not sure how he knew, but I believe him. He's very intuitive, not just for his age."

"I've known that for a long time. Sarah, I'm not here to talk about that." His mismatched eyes scrutinized her every movement. He wanted to know before he did anything wrong so he could prevent Sarah from overreacting.

Her patience was wearing thin. "Look, I've had a long day. My dad and stepmom just died. You're going to have to forgive me if I don't want to play games. Just tell me what it you want." Her entire form showed a deep resignation that he never would have expected from her.

"I'm here to…" He paused. "I'm not really sure why I'm here. I heard you yell and I came. To tell you the truth, I'm a little worried about you." There was no warning that she had almost reached her breaking point.

"Why? Are you afraid that I will come back to the Underground and beat you again?" She rushed on, oblivious to the wary look in his eyes. "Don't worry. If I send Toby away again, he'll probably be better off there. Everything I do from now on will be for his benefit." She took a deep breath, grateful to have finally let off some steam.

Tenderly, he placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face so that she would meet his gaze. "What about what you want, Sarah? Doesn't that matter?"

She didn't hesitate in her answer. "Life isn't fair. You showed me that, Jareth. Besides, I gave up my dreams a long time ago. There's nothing that I want that I can have, at least not at this point."

Her answer surprised Jareth. In that instant, he realized just how grown up she had become. The stubbornness and determination she had showed at fifteen had turned her into a formidable woman. If she said she would give up her life to make Toby happy, he had no choice but to believe her. Still, it was a shame she had lost her optimistic attitude. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Well, if there's anything I can do for you, just let me know."

The sound sent shivers up and down her spine. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to run away from him or step closer. He was dangerous in the way that she never knew what he was going to do next. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice whispered that he probably thought the same thing about her. Impulsively, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you. I might just have to do that."

She attempted to step back, but he gripped her shoulders. "Don't do anything rash, Sarah. I'm sure Toby would rather spend some time away from you that see you dead or in jail." There was no time for her to voice her surprise at how well he knew her. He pulled her to him and kissed her. This was no peck on the cheek like she had just given. The kiss was filled with unrestrained passion and Sarah had no choice but to give in to it. She practically melted against his body and had to stop herself from protesting when he pulled away. The look in his eyes was unreadable, even for her. "Take care of yourself, Sarah. I'm not sure Toby's the only one that wants you to stay alive."

She was still standing there after he'd left, having walked out the front door before transforming this time. "What the bloody hell just happened?"

At the top of the stairs, an eight-year old had to press a hand to his mouth to stifle his laughter. He had watched the entire encounter with glee. "Well, I guess I know how he feels."

Well, I hope this is a quick enough update. It may take a while before I'll be able to catch up on homework. I've also been sick this entire week so I need to recover.

To LODOWN, Kadasa-Mori, angels death, and galriee: I'm glad you thought that was sad. That was the entire point. Anyway, this chapter I hope made you feel a little better. There was some fluff, which I know everybody likes. I just don't know where it came from. Honestly, I didn't mean for the chapter to turn out like this. I wanted a nice suspenseful relationship where it would take those two a long time to get together. Oh, well, maybe my muses will find something diabolical for the next chapter.

Anyway, please review, but only if you have something to say. It doesn't have to be nice. It just has to be something.


	6. Fairness & Nightmares

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 5- Fairness and Nightmares

The funeral went as smoothly as it possibly could, considering Eliza kept trying to yank Toby away from Sarah in an effort to show all of her friends her "adorable little nephew." The woman had absolutely no shame. It was all Sarah could do to keep from screaming.

It occurred to Sarah that Karen had rarely mentioned her sister and, when she had, her tone had been harsh. Toby mentioned that they had fought on the few times Eliza had visited. This made Sarah a little less worried about Eliza's claim of custody. If Karen hadn't liked her sister, it was highly unlikely she would give custody of Toby to her.

She had been distracted for days now, ever since Jareth had kissed her. She could feel herself blush now as she thought about it. She had been on several dates, especially in her first year at Oxford, but had never felt anything remotely as powerful as that kiss.

"Sarah, are you okay?" Toby's voice pushed its way into her thoughts. She had been staring of into space for nearly five minutes with a funny smile on her face.

"I'm fine, Toby. Don't worry about it." She reached down to ruffle his hair, then turned away to glance at the office door. In doing so, she missed the sly grin that crossed his face. He knew exactly what she was thinking about.

The lawyer came into the room with Eliza behind him. There was also a heavy-set woman in a business suit. At the sight of Eliza, Toby moved his chair so close to Sarah's that he was almost sitting in her lap. She put her arm around his shoulders in a possessive gesture.

The lawyer cleared his throat nervously and started wiping beads of sweat from his forehead with an immaculate white handkerchief. "It seems we have a problem. Miss Williams, the house and all of its belongings are to be split between you and your brother. The exception to that rule being a few family antiques that are going to Ms. Jacobs. However, the custody of young Toby is not mentioned at all. I don't believe that Richard and Karen anticipated this scenario."

"Well, of course I would be more than happy to invite Toby into my home and take care of him" Eliza's voice was dripping with sugary-sweetness. It was still obvious that she was angry about not inheriting everything.

Toby cringed at the idea and buried himself in Sarah's arms. She rubbed his back soothingly, but wisely chose not to say anything. It would serve no purpose for her to claim that her brother would be better off with her. Plus, she had a feeling that the other woman was anticipating such an outburst. She had learned to keep her mouth shut after dealing with Jareth. It's a piece of cake, she could remember saying. The ghost of a smile crossed her face as she thought about what that comment had gotten her into: threats of the Bog of Eternal Stench and the Cleaners.

"Actually, Mrs. Descartes will decide the fate of Toby." The lawyer gestured to the heavyset woman. "She's an officer of the court. I believe she'll be observing both of you in the next few weeks to determine the best environment for the boy."

"That sounds fair," Sarah stated. Toby lifted his head with a hopeful expression. He stuck his tongue out at Eliza. "Behave," Sarah admonished him quietly. He only needed to glance at her serious face before he settled down. "What happens in the mean time?"

"I have no reason to take Toby away at this point. Until I decide the best course of action, he will remain with you." Mrs. Descartes was smiling kindly at her. "I'll be showing up without warning, but don't worry about it. I want you to just go about your normal lives."

Sarah was instantly at ease with this woman. She practically emanated a sense of justice. Still, a little voice in the back of her mind whispered that something was not right with the situation. Eliza was looking far too smug.

It was later that night and Sarah was thrashing around in her sleep. She was deep in the throes of a nightmare the likes of which she hadn't had since she was a small child. _She was standing in the front hallway watching Toby being taken away. He was calling her name and she attempted to reach for him. To her horror, her arms were pinned to her sides by a straight jacket. Eliza chose that moment to step out of the shadows to gloat at Sarah._

"_You're such a terrible sister. You sent your brother away to the goblins. Because of that, you've lost him forever." She cackled with glee._

Unexpectedly, the nightmare changed into a memory that Sarah wished had never happened. _She was walking home from one of her night classes at Oxford. Her mind was preoccupied with the homework she'd just gotten. She never even saw the man coming._

_He clamped a hand over her mouth and started dragging her toward an alley. She kicked and clawed, attempting to get free. He slapped her across the face so sharply that her ears rang. She bit down on his hand and he released her long enough for her to yell. "Help me!" The attacker pulled her farther down the alley where it was harder for anyone to see them. Horrifyingly for Sarah, there was no sound of running footsteps or police sirens. Her mind began going blank with shock until she felt the man's hands on the button of her jeans. Furiously, she raked her nails across his face, leaving trails of blood. The enraged man drew back his fist to hit her, but the punch never came._

_Sarah slowly opened her eyes just in time to see her attacker being thrown across the alley into a cluster of metal garbage cans. There was another figure there, a tall man whose face was cloaked in shadow. "Run home, Sarah, and don't look back."_

She woke from the dream drenched in sweat. She stumbled her way downstairs to the kitchen. The memory had shaken her to the very core of her being and she desperately needed comfort. Her hands trembled violently as she put a kettle of water on the stove. In an attempt to calm herself, she took deep breaths of air and wrapped herself in a throw blanket. It was then that the realization struck her.

"I remember what happened." Her awed whisper nearly echoed in the silent house. Her mind had never before been able to recall how she'd gotten home safely and, for the most part, unharmed. The last thing she could remember was lashing out to slap the would-be rapist. The news that the man had been castrated and left to bleed to death had been both relieving and frightening. For a long time, Sarah believed she might have been responsible. With this enlightenment came another surprise. Her savior, whoever he had been, had known her name.


	7. Visitors

Chapter 7-Visitors

Disclaimer-I own nothing. Well, maybe a few scraps of paper and some lip gloss, but that's about it.

Sarah rushed around the house, making sure that everything was clean. She wasn't sure how she knew it, but the social worker was coming to their house today. She'd been shaken up all day because of her nightmare and hadn't gone back to sleep at all. Cleaning the house gave her something productive to do. She paused for a moment to once again wonder who it was that had come to her rescue.

"Sarah?" Toby's voice startled her so much that she dropped the glass that she was holding. Both of them jumped back as it shattered against the floor. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to know if you'd read with me."

"It's not your fault, Toby. I guess I'm just a little jumpy today. Listen, if you'll get the vacuum cleaner, I'll finish picking up this mess. Then, I'll be able to read with you. Would you like to finish up Alice in Wonderland?" She gave her younger brother a shaky smile. She needed to get her mind off of her memories. What really mattered was giving Toby a stable environment.

The eight-year old gave his sister a wise look. He knew she'd taken the news of the accident harder than she acted. "I'll get the vacuum and help you pick up the big pieces." He was gone before she could even object.

Sarah dumped some of the larger chunks of glass into the trash can. Sometimes, her brother amazed her. He had a knack for knowing how she was feeling and exactly what to do about it. He came back into the kitchen with the cleaner in tow. A wry grin crossed Sarah's face as she briefly thought about another type of cleaners that she had been threatened with.

"Why don't you go find the book while I finish this? I promise it won't take me more than a minute. Maybe I can make some hot chocolate for us. Start thinking about what you want for dinner, too." She couldn't hold back a grin when she saw him automatically smile at the mention of hot chocolate. Then, she put her mind on the task at hand, not wanting to pick up the glass through her fingertips.

When she was done, she put together two cups of hot chocolate, something to soothe her nerves more than make Toby happy. Then, they settled into an overstuffed armchair to relive the adventures of a girl that had gotten into a whole bunch of trouble by falling down a rabbit hole. After a time, she went back to the kitchen to whip up a batch of mashed potatoes and some grilled chicken. Toby read the book aloud so that she could help him with words that he didn't know. She had just finished with the chicken when the doorbell rang.

"Of course, she would come just when we're getting ready to eat," she muttered, turning off the stove. "Don't answer the door, Toby! You don't know who it is." Wiping her hands off on a dish towel, she moved toward the front door. When she passed her younger brother, he gave her a look that clearly said that he hadn't forgotten the house rules within a few days.

Sarah peered out onto the front step where the social worker was impatiently waiting before she opened the door. Almost before she had it entirely open, the lady had pushed her way inside. Toby's face had a look of complete surprise as he witnessed this obvious rudeness. "Mrs. Descartes, it's nice to see you. Would you like some tea or coffee?"

The woman ignored her, staring around the room critically. When her eyes landed on Toby, they lit up as if she'd hit the jackpot. Thankfully, he had gone back to reading, silently this time. He didn't see the hawkish features that briefly lit up the woman's face. "I'll need to speak to the boy alone," she said instantly.

"That's fine," Sarah conceded. "I need to finish dinner anyway. Did you want peas or corn, Toby?" She locked eyes with him when he looked up, trying to tell him to be on his best behavior.

For a moment, he looked years older than he was. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone and he was just an eight-year old again. "I'll have peas, if that's okay. Do you still want me to set the table?"

That simple question meant so much more than he could have imagined. It had always been his job to set the table for dinner. In a way, he was still trying to bring a sense of normalcy to the house. She shook her head and went back to finish dinner. She could hear some of the conversation from where she was so she attempted to not make a whole lot of noise.

"What kind of book are you reading," the woman asked in a sweet voice that reminded Sarah of Eliza.

"Alice in Wonderland. It used to belong to Sarah. When we're done with this, we are going to read Lord of the Rings. I want to finish the books before I see the movies." Toby's voice was matter of fact, making his sister suddenly glad that he had such an interest in reading.

"Those are awfully big books for somebody your age. Don't they have some long words in them?"

Toby snorted softly. "Of course. Sarah helps me with the ones that I don't understand. I even have my own dictionary for when I'm at school and she's not there to ask."

"Maybe I can help you with some words while I'm here. Would you like to read out loud?" There didn't seem to be a purpose to this line of questioning, but Sarah couldn't see anything wrong with it either. She couldn't explain why the woman gave her the chills all of a sudden.

Toby had no problem with reading for an audience. After all, that was what he had been doing before she arrived. "Okay." He opened the book to where he had left off. "_Jabberwocky_. 'Twas brillig and the slithy toves…" He paused, unsure of what he was reading. "What's brillig?" The woman sputtered as she realized that she didn't have a correct answer for him. He yelled his question to the kitchen after a moment's silence. "Sarah, what does brillig mean?"

"Four o'clock," she stated firmly. She stuck her head through the doorway. "The author just made up the word, but it means four o'clock or, more correctly, tea time."

He beamed up at her, always amazed by her depth of knowledge. Suddenly, she felt like he was setting them up. "How did you know what it was?"

She shrugged. "It was the final question on Jeopardy. I just remember it because I liked the book so much."

He seemed satisfied with the answer and moved on to a different topic, purposely ignoring Mrs. Descartes. "What are we having for dessert?"

Sarah tried to hard to hold back a smile. He was so typically male in that aspect it was scary. "We'll see. You haven't even had any dinner yet." With that, she left them alone and started to set the table. She assumed that the social worker would be gone by the time she had finished cooking. It was only a few moments later that the woman came into the kitchen and began grilling her about her daily activities with Toby and her plans for employment. She answered as patiently as she could, considering the woman was interrogating her as though she were a police suspect.

Once again, the doorbell rang. Sarah had to bite back a curse as she wondered who it could be this time. She wasn't expecting anybody and she really wasn't up for more company. "Sarah, I think you'll want to answer the door." Toby's voice sounded oddly gleeful so she sent him a questioning look as she went by. She knew the social worker was watching their every move and hoped that whoever was on the other side of the door would help her make a good impression. When she opened it, though, there stood the last person she ever would have suspected.

"Jareth," she said in surprise. It was unmistakably the Goblin King on her front step. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, his makeup was gone, and he was wearing jeans and a dress shirt, but there was no doubt that it was him. He smiled benignly as Sarah let him inside.

"I know you said that there was nothing that you needed, but I couldn't resist bringing you something anyway. I figured you wouldn't object to a little bit of dessert." He held out a platter with a warm, fresh pie on it.

"It's peach," she said, arching an eyebrow at him. The symbolism wasn't lost on her.

"Of course," he said innocently. "I remember just how much you love peaches." He passed the platter off to her just as Toby came vaulting off the couch into his arms.

"Hi Jareth! How's Hoggle doing? Do you want to stay for dinner?" Toby had gone into hyper mode, his questions tumbling out of his mouth in excitement.

Jareth couldn't help laughing. "Slow down, kiddo. I've barely walked in the door." He set the boy down and extended his hand to Mrs. Descartes. "I'm Jareth King, a family friend. I presume you're the social worker that's deciding Toby should live with his sister." It could have been a slip of the tongue, but everyone knew that he had meant the words exactly as he said them. There was the undercurrent of a threat in his voice.

"Hello, Mr. King. I'm glad to meet you. I am Mrs. Descartes." The woman was obviously flustered. "I don't believe I saw you at the funeral."

"Ah, no. I couldn't make it in time. However, I'm here now to help Sarah and Toby as best I can. I actually think of Toby as my own little goblin." His eyes practically sparkled and he looked at Sarah. She couldn't help glaring back at him for a moment.

"Well, I may just have to get your opinion on everything. It will have to be some other time, though. I have to get going right now. Miss Williams, you can expect to see me again soon." Without another word, the social worker walked out.

Sarah glanced over at Jareth, opened her mouth to say something, then decided against it. She turned around and walked back into the kitchen. Dinner was completely finished and waiting on the table. She set the pie on the counter, the aroma rising from it practically making her drool. She hated peaches and Jareth knew it. So, why, all of a sudden, did she find herself wanting to finish a slice of pie even before dinner?

"I'm sorry that I showed up without warning. I figured that you might need a hand with your first visit. Besides, I couldn't resist seeing Toby in person. He's grown up a lot." Jareth never had been very good at small talk. He felt very unsure of what mood Sarah would be in and how much she would let him get away with.

"I can handle myself," she stated firmly, "but thank you anyway. I'm actually surprised that you are so concerned, even if you do think of Toby as your 'own little goblin.' You should no me well enough to understand how protective I am of him."

He grinned at her, much like the cat that had eaten the canary. "I understand being protective. That's why I'm here. I look out for what's mine." He took a step closer to her.

She scowled at him. "I thought we already established that you have no claim on Toby. That's why I ran the Labyrinth, to get him back." She was suddenly annoyed that she had ever started trusting him again. He was still the same old Jareth.

His eyes bore into hers as he kept advancing. "Who said anything about Toby?" Instantly, the kitchen became too small for the two of them. He put one hand under her chin and tilted it upward. Then, he leaned in.

A sound startled them both. They looked over to the doorway where Toby stood patiently. "Well, aren't you going to kiss her?"

Finally, another chapter done. My muses had stopped talking to me for awhile. And then when they did start talking, it was for another story. I know it's short, but I couldn't resist stopping here. Just curious though, since only one person reviewed last time, does that mean everyone else has stopped reading?

LODOWN-I hope this helps answer some of your questions. I am going to point out that the person that attacked Sarah will not show up anymore in the story, except maybe in her nightmares. It will help pave the way for the problems she is having now and in the future. As for her savior, you never know.

Next chapter-What are Jareth and Sarah going to do about the curious eight-year old watching them? Will Sarah get embarrassed and run away or will Jareth take Toby's advice? Until then, tell me what you think.


	8. Deception

Chapter 8-Deception

Disclaimer-How can I possibly own the Labyrinth? If I did, I would be a queen. Wait, I am a queen. Never mind.

Mrs. Descartes drove her rusty station wagon away from the Williams' house, unsure of what she had just witnessed. That man showing up out of nowhere had completely flustered her. She had been trying to weasel out any useful information from the girl. The arrival of the stranger hadn't been planned. That much was certain. The girl had been just as surprised, if not more, to see the exotic-looking man on her front step. It had been equally obvious that the two of them were not just friends. There had been a few glances of something deeper than just humor and sympathy. Maybe the trip hadn't been a complete waste.

She turned her car in the direction of Eliza's sprawling estate. She would want to be informed about these new developments. There might actually be a reason to take Toby away from the girl, at least if the two of them could fabricate a reasonable sounding story. The plot had started the moment Eliza had found out who was going to be in charge of the case. The two of them had gone to high school together and had even been friends for awhile. While Eliza had gotten rich and powerful, she had married early and began a career in social work. The mistake she'd made was evident the day her husband decided to run away with a younger woman, taking nearly everything they had with him. She had been longing for money to keep herself from the poorhouse ever since then. Eliza's promise of riches in exchange for the child had come at an incredibly opportune moment.

The only problem now was actually finding a reason for Sarah to not keep custody of her brother. Everything about her was what a judge would look for in a parent, except, of course, for her age. She had the most experience with Toby, her education was beyond belief with all of her scholarships and her early graduation, and she kept a stable environment for her brother. What Eliza wanted with the child was unclear, but it was none of her concern. She was only after the promised reward of thousands of dollars, an exuberant sum that would banish all of her debts and get her back to living in a comfortable environment. The only thing that stood between her and her money was Sarah. At least it wouldn't be for long.

She knocked on the door of the mansion, anxious to relay any important information that she had. After only a moment, she was led into an immaculate study, the type of place where no child would ever be allowed. She noted this vaguely as she waited impatiently for the other woman to arrive. When Eliza did show herself, practically dripping with pearls and silk, she quickly went over the events that had taken place at the Williams' residence. Eliza's face became confused when she heard mention of Jareth.

"I don't recall ever hearing my sister mention a person like that. Believe me, I would have remembered. Men with long hair would not be the type to normally share my sister's company. Sarah, though, may hang out with his type all the time. You say there was something between them?" She smiled maliciously. "That may very well prove to be her undoing. What an example they must be setting for young impressionable Toby. Now, all we have to do is catch them doing something inappropriate."

Through one of the elaborate mirrors, Tanith watched the interchange with amusement. She had been trying to find a way to make the mortal girl pay for stealing Jareth away from her, even though he had rejected her long before he had even met Sarah. Maybe this would be fitting enough punishment, taking away the child that both Sarah and Jareth cared so much about. It would take little effort for her to get into Eliza's dreams and tell her what had really happened between the girl and her brother. Surely, banishing your little brother to a mystical land would be enough to take him away. This would certainly devastate the girl so badly that she could not concentrate on Jareth at all.

To all my reviewers-Sorry this is not what you wanted. Actually, no I'm not. I like keeping you guys in suspense. You'll find out what happens between Sarah and Jareth in the next chapter.

Immortalwizardpirateelf-fan- This chapter is for you, since I couldn't understand what the heck you were talking about. Honestly, Sarah's father and stepmother died in a car accident. There was no fae magic involved. Hopefully, this clears up the rest of your confusion.


	9. Revelations

What you Wish For by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 9-Revelations

Disclaimer-I own this situation, not the characters, except maybe Eliza and Tanith and they're not very nice.

They stared at Toby for a few moments in surprise before Sarah took a step back, untangling herself from Jareth's arms. She slowly turned red, avoiding looking at Jareth at all. This was exactly the type of bad example she didn't want to give her younger brother. "Toby," she began gently.

He scowled at her and stamped his foot on the floor. "I'm not stupid. I know that's what was going on. Don't try to lie to me, Sarah." He turned and ran out of the room.

She made a move to go after him, but Jareth held her back. "Let me take care of this. He's been through a lot lately and he could use a friend right now." He slipped silently from the room before she could protest.

She slumped down into a chair and put her head in her hands. Things were spinning out of her control very rapidly. Jareth had a way of making her feel fifteen again, vulnerable and unsure of herself. Truth be told, she had wanted him to kiss her. That in itself showed just how much trouble she was in. She couldn't afford any distractions at this point and Jareth was practically a definition of the term. She groaned out loud and headed for the backyard, hoping that the chilly air would help her clear her head.

Upstairs, Jareth knocked gently on Toby's door. After only a moment, he stuck his head into the room to see the child flipping through a small red book. His gaze sharpened at the recognition of the title.

"Don't let her push you away because of me." Toby's voice startled him with its force. He glanced up to find the eight-year old staring at him defiantly, more like his sister than he could imagine. "She's scared of what will happen if she lets you in. She's scared that she'll lose me. You can't let her do it, though. She needs you. Sarah needs your help."

Jareth stared at the child in wonder. He was so much more perceptive than anybody had ever guessed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered Toby in his arms. "Listen to me very carefully, Toby. I have been looking out for Sarah for a long time, longer than she's even aware of. I may have even saved her life once. No matter what happens between us, she will always have my help. She helped save me from the biggest mistake of my life and I have been indebted to her since then."

Toby wanted to ask what that mistake was, but held back. He knew better than to pry into the Goblin King's personal business. "I shouldn't have yelled at her like that. It's just that she treats me like a child. I understand more than she thinks I do, especially about her. She's the only one that accepts me as being normal." For just a moment, his eyes flashed a darker blue, the type of cerulean blue that no human should ever possess.

Jareth had to stop himself from recoiling. His mind suddenly latched onto an amazing possibility that he had never thought of before. "Toby, do you remember everything that happened while you were in the Underground?" At his nod, he felt like cursing. This would be just the thing to send Sarah into an outrage. He noticed the kid's frightened look and hastened to reassure him. "Don't worry. Except for turning into a fae, you're perfectly healthy."

"I'm what?" Toby's excited yelp caused him to fall off the bed. When he straightened up, he was grinning from ear to ear. "I knew something was going on. Does this mean that I get to live in the Underground now too?"

Jareth hesitated, for the first time unsure of himself. This was his fault for cutting it so close on time. "I honestly don't know. I have to tell your sister about this first."

"Good luck with that," Toby said with a salute. Jareth couldn't help smirking at him. The kid was exactly like his older sister. Unfortunately, life really hadn't been fair to Sarah. He wanted to wait as long as possible before telling her that things were about to get worse.

"Why don't we go downstairs and eat dinner? I'm sure that our news can wait a little bit longer. Sarah's probably worried by now."

Sarah, in fact, wasn't worried. She had forgiven Toby for his outburst the moment he'd said it and assumed that the two men in her life were catching up. She was willing to give them all the time they needed. There was no telling how long Jareth's good mood would last.

She flopped down on the grass, staring up at the stars. The wind was practically frigid and it easily penetrated through her jeans and t-shirt. Still, she ignored the feeling without a thought. There was no possible way for her to think while she was in the house. There was so much that she hadn't been able to work through, not the least of which was her relationship with Jareth, if there was such a thing. She sighed, suddenly aware of how much of a hopeless romantic she had become. At what point had Jareth changed from her adversary to the love of her life? She sat up so quickly that it made her head spin. He couldn't possibly be the love of her life. She barely knew him. What had she been thinking?

You were just listening to your heart, a voice in the back of her head told her. She silently told the voice to go jump off a bridge. She needed to focus on the custody battle, not a possible relationship with the notorious Goblin King. Thoughts of being solely responsible for Toby had brought her back from the edge of suicide. She had almost been consumed by her depression and, thanks to her younger brother, had barely escaped. Jareth had shown up at the last possible second, but only by accident. The choice was crystal clear in her mind. She couldn't afford to be selfish anymore. She'd almost lost her brother for that reason before.

The back door opened and light from the kitchen flowed out. It didn't quite reach the spot where she was sitting and she made no effort to get up and return to the house. "Sarah?" The melodious voice nearly sent shivers up her spine. She couldn't even force herself to look up to see where he was at.

The hand that landed on her shoulder caused her to jump. "Sarah?" Jareth's voice was perplexed, unsure of what was wrong. He kneeled down beside her in the grass, totally unconcerned with how this would look. "Sarah, darling, what's wrong?" He tried capturing her chin with his fingers, but she quickly evaded him.

When she finally spoke, after a few minutes of sitting in silence, it was in a broken, almost hollow voice. "He is the only one I have left, Jareth. I can't risk losing him. Not to Eliza. Not because of you." Suddenly, she whirled on him, her eyes wild with fear and confusion. "Dammit, Jareth! You're the Goblin King! What are you doing here with me? Why did you even come back? And, bloody hell, why can't I keep you out of my head?" She jumped to her feet, anxious to get away before he saw the tears that were threatening to fall.

He caught her before she'd taken a dozen steps. Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest. "Sarah, my dear, sweet Sarah," he murmured into her hair. Then, he chuckled. "You always did have a flair for dramatics. What makes you think that I would let you lose your brother? Now, more than ever, he needs to stay with you." He made no attempt to explain his remark. Instead, he pulled her down onto the swing. "I'm not going anywhere, Sarah. Whether you like it or not, we are bound together by some kind of fate. I should be able to forget you. You are the only one that has ever turned down your dreams. I offered you a place at my side and you denied me. You defied me at every turn and managed to earn the loyalty of my three most faithful subjects. I should hate you for that. Instead, I'm here asking myself the same thing that you are. Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

The intensity of his voice made Sarah stare at him in shock. What he wasn't saying was expressed by the look in his eyes. She could have never guessed that he felt the same way she did. "Jareth." Her voice was a little breathless and she had to turn away from him. "When did we stop being enemies. I mean, I never hated you for taking Toby away, but we were adversaries."

He pulled her close, suddenly aware of how cold she must be. He could not say anything else to her. It was obvious that he'd said too much already. There was a possibility that Sarah would leave because of it, but he couldn't help being honest with her. To his surprise, she didn't move away from him. Instead, she reached up and pulled his hair out of the ponytail.

"This doesn't mean that I like you." She was smiling, though, a hesitant grin that made her whole face light up. For just a moment, neither one of them was pushing at the other. They were completely and totally at ease with each other.

Jareth saw his opportunity and decided to take it. She had never been this comfortable with him before. Just as he was leaning in, he caught sight of Eliza lurking at the edge of the yard. Biting back a curse, he gently pressed his lips to her forehead. "Sarah, I don't want to alarm you, but Eliza is here and she's watching us." She stiffened instantly and he had to stop her from getting up. "No. If you move, she'll know we've seen her. No doubt she has already come to her own conclusions about us, but I want to change her mind. Do you think you can work up some tears?" He whispered to her lowly, certain that only she could hear him.

She risked a glance up at him. "It's a piece of cake," she murmured, trying to hide her smile against his chest. She had a fairly decent idea of what he was up to.

He pulled her closer so that her face rested in the crook of his shoulder. He smoothed out her hair in a gesture of comfort. "Don't get cocky, love. Remember what happened last time." He was relieved, though. Her sense of humor in this situation was beyond what he could have ever asked her.

Sarah untangled herself from his arms after only a moment and visibly wiped away the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. She took a deep, shuddering breath that seemed to help her regain her composure. "I think I feel much better. Thanks for actually listening to me. I really appreciate it."

Jareth looked down at her with an almost paternal glance. "You looked like you could use a confidante. Besides, what kind of family friend would I be if I did not look after you as well as Toby? You have suffered just as much as he has, possibly more. Now, why don't we get you inside before you freeze to death?" He stood up, but made no move to help her. Excessive attention on her would raise suspicions that he was trying to squash.

"You're probably right. If I got sick, there would be nobody here to take care of Toby." She got up and started following him toward the house.

Before Jareth could assure her that he would be there if she needed him, Eliza stepped from the shadows. "Dear Sarah, don't you understand that I will soon be taking care of Toby? You shouldn't worry your pretty young head about something like that, especially since you now have a man to take care of you."

Sarah made no indication that she heard the other woman, instead opting to ghost past her into the house. Jareth lingered for a moment to speak to Eliza. "Whether you are aware of this or not, every single family friend is siding with Sarah for custody, including myself. Now, I suggest that you leave before I am forced to remove you." His voice carried more than a hint of a threat.

Sorry it took so long for me to update. I've been really busy with school and other things. I really think I went out of my way to get this turned into a great chapter. I really hope you enjoyed the fruits of my labor. Now, for the bad news. I will be going to Japan for the entire summer as part of a school program. I have no idea whether or not the Air Force base I'll be at will have a computer that I can use. I am, however, bringing several notebooks so that I can get the story further along.

To my reviewers: LabyLvrPhx, DaughterofSlytherin, mistude, Tiraspy, and angel's death-I hope this meets your expectation, even though they didn't end up kissing. I'm evil like that.


	10. Warnings

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer- I own the idea of something more. That is all.

Chapter 10- Warnings

Sarah was getting used to unexpected visits, both from Mrs. Descartes and Jareth. While their lives had yet to return to normal, she had helped Toby figure out what he wanted to be for Halloween. Currently, she was trying to sew part of the costume together while he worked on his math homework. She had hand-made all of her outfits from her acting phase, but this was the first time she had ever had to fabricate a goblin. Thankfully, her memory of what a goblin looked like was very clear.

"Sarah, what happened between you and Jareth in the Underground?" The question made her accidently stab herself with the needle. As she sucked on her bleeding finger, she wondered why he had asked. It was probably because Jareth had nearly kissed her in front of him. Still, she wasn't sure herself what had happened, let alone how to explain it to Toby.

"Oh, come on. You've heard this story a hundred times. Aren't you sick of it by now?" Even as she asked this, she knew he wouldn't. Jareth's reappearance in their lives had only increased his curiosity about the events that had brought them together in the first place. When he shook his head, she gave him a resigned sigh. The doorbell rang, though, before she could even start. "Saved by the bell," she laughed.

She had already figured that it was either Jareth or the social worker. It came as a surprise to her when the person on the other side of the door was someone she had never seen before.

The man was wearing a dark blue business suit, but had unusually long white hair. When he saw her, his lined face immediately brightened. "You are Sarah, excuse me, Lady Sarah." He sounded very certain of himself, posing it as more of a statement than a question. "May I come in and speak with you? It concerns a mutual friend of ours, Jareth."

In that instant, she knew that the man was a fae. She also knew, with a certainty that she didn't understand, that he was telling the truth about Jareth being a friend. "Yes, of course." She let the stranger in without hesitation.

The fae's eyes widened when he saw Toby. Then, he turned back to Sarah. "I am Caravel and I have come to tell you that, because of Jareth, your lives are in danger." He cut her off before she could protest. "No, I know that he would never hurt either of you intentionally. He cares for you very much. That is why you must be careful. He has made an enemy who will try her best to see that Jareth pays for an injury to her pride. That means that she will come after you, Lady Sarah."

She understood the part about a fae being prideful. That much she had come to expect. What she was unsure about was why this particular fae kept giving her a title. "Why are you calling me Lady Sarah? I am no one of importance, let alone royalty."

He cleared his throat, almost peeved that she had not said anything about his warning. "Any time a human is related to a fae, they are either called a lord or a lady. Surely somebody must have explained this to you."

"Why would they? I have no fae relations. Now, how can I stop any attack on my brother and I?" She was almost exasperated at this.

Caravel was not ready to change the subject yet. "Lady Sarah, I can tell from here that your brother is a fae. You cannot deny that fact."

Sarah wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. She had briefly contemplated that it could happen, but had never seriously thought that it would. Toby, she noted, did not look at all surprised at this startling news. She slowly sank into an armchair when it dawned on her that he must have already been told. "I didn't know," she said quietly.

Caravel paled at this revelation. He had not expected her ignorance on her brother's condition. "I am sorry that I had to be the one to tell you. I was certain that you knew." He patted her hand awkwardly. "Is there anything I can tell you about the fae that would make you feel better?"

Her eyes glittered dangerously. "I'm sure that Jareth will tell me everything that I need to know. I would, however, like to know how to protect my brother from this enemy of Jareth's."

He noted with respect how she had not included herself in that statement. No wonder Jareth had feelings for her. This girl, unlike most of the fae women, had honor and fearlessness. He had no doubt that she would do anything to protect her brother. "In this house, you are as safe as you can be. Unless you give her entrance, Tanith cannot come into your house. It is like those myths you humans have about vampires. Anywhere else, you must be careful."

Sarah felt no amusement over this bit of information. She could not keep Toby sheltered in the house for long, nor would she want to. "Is there anything particular we need to watch out for?"

Caravel was once again impressed with her initiative. It was truly a shame that she had already turned down Jareth. They would have made an interesting match. "She uses mirrors as her tools. She will come after you through them. She can send nightmares and spells to hurt anybody she feels like. Right now, she will stop at nothing to make you pay for embarrassment from Jareth."

"Why does she hate Jareth so much?" Toby finally broke into the conversation. He was more worried about what Sarah was going to do to Jareth, but he at least wanted to know why he was in the middle of a fight.

Caravel waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, he just turned down her marriage proposal. I forget the reason why, but it turned out to be one of his smarter moves. That was about the time Tanith started pushing for that law stopping contact with humans. Several times, I've had to hide Jareth's visits to you so that the council does not find out. That boy is a rebel."

Sarah couldn't hide the grin that came to her face. She could recall several times he had broken the rules before. 'I've reordered time and I've done it all for you,' he'd said at one point. "He makes his own rules and he doesn't play fair. Then again, who does these days?"

"I can see why Jareth is so fond of you, my dear. You say whatever you want to. You do not hide behind double meanings or half-truths. Those fae women could learn a few things from you." He stood gracefully and prepared to leave. "I do hope you take my warnings seriously. Jareth is a good friend and I would hate to see anything hurt him." Without another word, Caravel walked out.

Sarah went right back to her sewing as if she'd never stopped. There was too much information she had to process before she could make any sense of it. Toby and her were in danger. That really wasn't much of a surprise considering how easily Jareth could piss people off. It was everything else that had come as a shock.

Her brother was a fae and apparently Jareth had known about it. Nobody else could have told Toby. The thought practically made her blood boil. How could he have not told her about this? This was something that she needed to know. How was she supposed to cope with this change if she didn't even know about it? He was really going to hear it when she saw him next.

The other news actually caused jealousy that she couldn't understand. Jareth had almost gotten married. That should not affect her in any way, but it did. The thought of him being with another woman nearly made her sick to her stomach. She had dreamed that the looks Jareth gave her, the one that set her heart racing, were meant for her alone. Of course, since fae lived so long, the chances of that happening were almost nonexistent. It was not shocking once she thought about it logically, but Sarah hadn't gotten into trouble her whole life by being logical. "Damn you, Jareth, for making me feel this way," she muttered.

Sarah suddenly stood up. "Toby, do you mind if I go for a run real quick? I need to clear my head a little bit. We can order a pizza and some breadsticks before I leave. " She was ready to go right away, but she wanted to wait until he said it was okay.

Toby got up and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll order the food," he said with all the confidence of an eight-year old. "You can go on your run and I'll pick out a movie for when you get back. I won't open the door for anybody, especially the social worker. If she shows up, I'll tell her that you're in the shower." He shooed her out the door as if she were the younger sibling.

Sarah smiled as he shut the door behind her. She was truly lucky to have him, especially since he looked out for her as much as she did for him.

Once Sarah was out of sight, Toby raced up to his room. From a hidden place in his closet, he pulled out a crystal. Jareth had given it to him the night he'd found out he was fae. It was an untraceable way to communicate, done so that nobody else could find out.

The instant he held it in his hands, the crystal filled with the Goblin King's visage. Toby nearly dreaded what he had to say. "She knows, Jareth."


	11. The Truth Comes Out

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 11-The Truth Comes Out

Disclaimer-I own a ratty old notebook and a jump drive. Yay! Other than that, I own nothing.

Jareth stared at the boy in surprise and disbelief. He had never thought to expect this. Sarah was bound to be furious. He had been planning to tell her at an opprtune moment. Too late, he realized he would never have one of those. "How is she taking it," he asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure," Toby said truthfully. "She went for a run right after your friend left. You should probably get over here soon."

"What friend?" Jareth asked the question too sharply and watched as the boy flinched. He would apologize for it later. Right now, he was terrified that Tanith had gotten to them. "One of my friends was there with you?"

"Yeah, I think he said his name was Caravaggio." Toby was worried now that letting a stranger into the house had been a mistake. He relaxed when he heard Jareth's short laugh.

"Caravel! You must mean Caravel. What on earth was he doing there?"The Goblin King's curiosity was naturally piqued. There was no reason for the other fae to take an interest in the pair.

Toby suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I'll let Sarh tell you. She should be back in just a few minutes." Abruptly, the crystal went dark.

Jareth's attempts to get a reconnection would have been laughable at any other time. The child had learned how to block him. It was an impressive feat for one so young, but it only served to slightly inconvenience him. All Jareth had to do was transport to their house.

His arrogance once again caught up with him as he ended up sprawled on the ground in their back yard. He had been aiming for the inside of the house so this came as more than a little shock. His entire body ached, almost as if he had struck a barrier. He couldn't hold back the groan of pain that escaped his lips.

"Jareth?" Sarah was suddenly kneeling beside him. She'd arrived just in time to see his stunningly abrupt arrival. "Are you all right?"She was wet with perspiration from her run and she felt a little bit of it slide down her back as she had a horrifying thought. "Can you move?"

In response, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down into a kiss. Every small movement was torturous, but it was worth it. He had been looking for an opportunity to do this every since he'd decided to stay in her life. The kiss was slow, sweet, and passionate, everything they both needed to help them relax. They finally broke apart, each of them a little breathless. "I've been waiting a long time for that."

"Me too," Sarah admitted. Then her rightful senses came flooding back. She punched him quite forcefully in the arm. Then, she hastily stood up and walked away from him.

"What was that for," he called after her. The pain in his body had subsided sometime during the kiss, but that didn't mean that her punch hadn't hurt.

"What do you think?" The question was thrown back over her shoulder like an insult. She turned and finally faced him as he came up behind her. "You should have told me about Toby. He's my brother. I have a right to know about something like this. It's not fair that you get to know what's going on and I don't."

"I thought I'd already taught you that life isn't fair," he said softly. It caused her glare to falter for a minute. "I didn't tell you, Sarah, because I wasn't sure how to. I had not expected this. I certainly never wanted this for him."

"Never? I thought the plan had been to turn him into a goblin." She had calmed down a bit and was almost mocking him.

"You sent him to me, Sarah. What else was I supposed to with him?" He hadn't wanted to bring it up.

She ducked her head. "I know. I should be careful what I wish for."

"Hey, speaking of wishing, are either of you hungry? The pizza's here." Toby waited another moment, then ducked back into the house.

"Sarah, wait a minute." He reached out to grab her hand as she moved to follow her brother inside. "I know that Caravel told you about Toby. Did he say anything else?"

She looked up at him, reading the unspoken concern in his eyes. Suddenly, she recalled what Caravel had said about Jareth breaking the rules. He was risking a lot just to see her. She wanted to return the favor by keeping this a secret. Besides, she could take care of herself. Hadn't she defeated him? She tried laughing it off. "He didn't tell me anything important enough for you to ruffle your feathers at."

It was a terrible lie and they both knew it. Neither one of them bothered to say anything about it, though. Jareth was bound and determined to find out what had both Sarah and Toby spooked so badly that they wouldn't tell him. If all else failed, he would go to Caravel and demand the truth.

"Why were you on the ground when I got here? It looked like you were in a lot of pain. Or was that just an act?" She had heard of very few things that could make a fae sick. If he had been pretending just to get her into a kiss, she would hit him again.

"Believe me, Sarah. That was no act. I was trying to in the house. It felt like I ran into something, though. I don't know what could have caused it." He was perplexed and more than a little worried. Could Tanith have somehow found out about his visits to Sarah?

"What about Toby? Could he have accidently done something to stop you from coming into the house?"She wasn't sure what made her think of it, but it sounded like a reasonable solution. After all, her brother was a fae. He would probably be able to do things that she had never dreamed of.

Jareth was visibly impressed with her insight. He might never have thought of Toby as the cause. After all, the boy had only recently come into his powers. Of course, changelings were some of the stranger beings he had ever encountered. "You may be right. He has done other things that have surprised me. Maybe we should start discussing some of the changes he'll be going through."

"You're right. Come inside and eat dinner with us. I just hope you like pizza." She started to lead him inside.

The Goblin King gave her a strange look. "Actually, I've never even had it."

Sarah turned and laughed. "Really? What on earth do you people eat in the Underground?"

Tanith watched with anger as Jareth once again went to see the human girl. For weeks now, she had been trying unsuccessfully to see into the house. Every time she failed only made her anger grow. Jareth couldn't possibly be shielding her. The ties of blood were needed for that. As she watched this time, she saw something unusual. The Goblin King landed on his back before he reached the house.

"Jareth!" Tanith wanted to reach through her looking-glass and strangle the girl. Even sweaty and disgusting from whatever activity she had been doing, Sarah still looked gorgeous. When Jareth pulled her into a kiss, Tanith finally forced herself to walk away. It was time for her to put her revenge into action.

Across the room was another mirror that constantly looked into a mortal house, one which was far different from the one that Sarah lived in. Even before she reached the mirror, Tanith could see the elaborate furnishings. Oddly enough, it was very similar to her own tastes.

It had taken quite some time for her to figure out why Eliza even wanted the child. It had something to do with "lawyers" and "unknown trust funds." She finally understood that it was all about money. Honestly, she couldn't care less about the reasoning behind it. She was just searching for any helpful tidbit that could aid her in ruining Sarah's life. Taking the child away from her would be the first step.

She glanced at the mirror again just to ascertain that Eliza didn't have any company. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was on the woman's doorstep. She felt nearly gleeful as she waited for the maid to answer the bell. The door finally opened. "Tell your mistress that I know how she can get custody of her nephew."

"Right this way," the maid said quickly. She knew Eliza had been waiting for something of magnitude. She led Tanith down the hall to the same parlor where she had first seen the mortal woman. "She should be with you in a moment."

Eliza wasted no time showing up. The anxious look on her face changed to one of confusion when she walked through the door. She had been expecting Mrs. Descartes. This gorgeous but strange-looking woman was somebody she'd hoped to never see again. "What are you doing here, Tanith?"

Author's Notes: Sorry it took so long to get this posted. Honestly, I've had it done for months. I just haven't had access to a computer for a long time. Plus, the local library has this site blocked so I can't even check on my favorite stories unless I'm at my boyfriend's house. Fortunately, I've discovered the joy of having a jump drive.

IAmMadHatter-Sorry about the lack of barrier between story and author's notes. I really do put it in there, but I forget I have to put it in again after I submit the document.

saz89-Hope the suspense didn't kill you too much. (Otherwise you'd have been dead for awhile now.)

ghostofthewaterflame-Yes, Beetlejuice rules. He's still a little annoying, though.

angels death and Anij-I let them kiss! Are you satisfied? I hope not because then you might stop reading.

Tess Michaela Bowie-You don't hate cliffhangers. You really love them because they leave you wanting more. At least, I hope they do.

DAsDesiredRose-At the risk of ruining the suspense, Sarah isn't becoming fae. Remember in the beginning of the movie when Sarah says that the Goblin King has given the girl special powers? That's what I have been referring to. As to how much power she has, I guess we'll see. I sincerely hope that you have gotten the angry mob to hunt down the CS agent. Also, if my readers want to wish Jareth on me, go ahead. I have no problems with that.

Fester's Love, LabyLvrPhx, TearsOnIce, gymgurl520, enchantednight84, and notwritten-Thanks for reviewing. I hope this chapter satisfies.

Anyway, what did you think? (Hopefully, somebody is still interested in this story after so long.) Did I throw in enough plot twists for you within the last two chapters? Did I satisfy everyone's craving for some romance with that kiss? Let me know. Really, I want to know. I live off of reviews. (They're the only thing I eat and I've been starving for months.)

P.S.-What Sarah says about the word 'brillig' in chapter seven is true. I know this because it really was a question on final Jeopardy.


	12. Something You Can Do

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 12- Something You Can Do

Disclaimer-I own nothing, apparently not even a say in my college schedule.

"I seem to recall a promise that you'd leave my life alone," Eliza spat at the fae. "What are you doing in my house?"

"I'm here to help you get custody of your nephew," Tanith replied calmly, choosing to ignore the woman's outburst. She slid a pocket mirror across the table where it instantly started showing Jareth and Sarah making out on the lawn. Toby was clearly visible in the background where he watched the pair with some amusement.

"How much is this favor going to cost me?" Eliza was rightfully cautious of accepting any favors from the fae woman. The last time she'd done so she had nearly been turned into a tree. "I can only assume this information will come at an extraordinary price."

"You are wrong. I give this information freely. I have my own reasons for wanting to get the boy away from his wretched sister. That little brat has stolen something that should have rightfully been mine!"

Eliza looked into the mirror once again. "Is this man a fae too? How did Sarah get involved with a fae?"

Tanith glared at the woman for asking such an obvious question. "She wished her brother away to the goblins and now the Goblin King thinks he's in love with her."

Eliza instantly understood what it was that Sarah could have stolen from this woman. "Tanith, I believe we can find a way to help each other. You just let me know how I can help you get back at Sarah."

Tanith smiled. "Actually, there is something you can do."

They skirted the issues until dinner was over and Toby was in bed. Jareth wanted to wait until she brought up the subject and Sarah wasn't sure she wanted to ask about it. Finally, though, the small talk became more than she could take. She just had to know. "Will Toby have to live in the Underground?"

Jareth was startled by this sudden question, although he shouldn't have been. Toby had asked nearly the same thing. "Yes, eventually he will have to. It's the only way he can learn."

She contemplated this for a moment. "At least he'll already know somebody when he gets there. I can be grateful for that much. Just do me a favor and keep an eye on him."

He took a few steps toward her. "Are you just giving up on him? That doesn't sound like the Sarah I know and love."

"I'm not giving up on him! How could I possibly do that to Toby when he needs me the most? I'm just trying to face facts. I won't be in the Underground to help him if he needs it."

"Why not?" The simple question threw Sarah off-balance so much that she was speechless for a moment. She had never even considered the thought when she had gone for her run. She'd just assumed that she wouldn't be allowed back.

She turned around to fully face him. "Well, for one thing, Caravel told me about the law which is supposed to stop humans and faes from interacting. Plus, I didn't think I'd be welcome back in the Underground."

He cupped her face in his hands. "Sarah, I don't give a damn what the council says. Toby is still a child and not even they have the right to separate the two of you. Besides, do you honestly think that I would let him wander around the labyrinth without you there to guide him? You of all people know just how dangerous it is."

She silently noted how he'd completely ignored her other comment. "Well, I don't want him to fall into an oubliette. How long does he have before he needs to leave?"

"It's hard to tell. It could only be a few months before he really starts to change. The very longest he can remain here is a year. By then, the other fae will know about his status. It's surprising that it took so long for me to figure it out."

"Jareth, the custody battle may not even be over by then. Besides, what happens if Eliza ends up with custody of him? I won't be able to help him at all if that happens." Her world was turning upside-down so fast that she couldn't tell if she was falling or standing still. What she really wanted was for her life to go back to normal. The problem was that it hadn't been normal since she'd been fourteen years old. "The only thing I know for certain is that Toby is going to need all the help he can get either way."

There was a steely reserve in her voice, something that had never been there before. Jareth watched her with concern. This was not the same innocent girl that had run his labyrinth. The last seven years had shown her the ways of the world. All the harshness and injustice weighted her down like a stone around her neck. Sarah had grown up overnight and Jareth knew he was the one responsible for it.

There was a way he could change it all, but he had avoided even thinking about it until now. "Sarah." The complete seriousness of his tone caught her immediate attention. "I've reordered time for you before. I can do it again. If I could take back the last seven years and make it so that we had never met, would you want me to? Is that something you'd wish for?"

Sarah stared at him for a long moment, searching his face for the reasoning behind the question. "No," she finally answered. "I would not wish for that in return for anything in the world."

It was the most surprising thing she could have said to him. "You could have a completely different life if you wanted to. Your parents might still be alive. Toby wouldn't be a fae. You could even be married by now if that's what you wanted." His concern for her was blatantly obvious.

"Jareth, even if I went back to change everything, It doesn't mean I'll be any more happy than I already am. Besides, from what I can tell, Toby likes being a fae. I haven't seen him this enthused about something in years."

She kept going before he could interrupt her. "I really am happy, Jareth. I may not be the same starry-eyed naïve little girl that I was when I first met you, but I am happy with my life now. I've just grown up."

He could tell that she meant it. There was something wrong with the statement, though. "You didn't seem too happy with it a few weeks ago when I first saw you again. In fact, I was almost positive that you were going to try to end your life." The thought still terrified him.

Sarah could not even bring herself to deny it. He was closer to the truth than she wanted. She had changed drastically since they because, once again, life had forced her to play a part that she was not ready for. "I've already told you that Toby saved me from that." She had to admit it now, if only to verbally acknowledge what this fae had done for her. "Besides, having you here to help me something I could not have even dreamed of asking for. Just having your friendship means more than I can say."

Jareth was touched by her sincerity. She had gone through so much, but still made an effort to appreciate those around her. That alone made him hopeful that she still had some of the old Sarah left in her. "You have earned both my help and my friendship, Sarah. I will be there for you as long as you need me. If there's anything I can do for you, just say the word."

She smiled. "Actually, there is something you can do."

**Author's Notes**-Well, two chapters posted in two weeks. I hope you guys feel special. (A jump drive is a wonderful thing.) First off, a note to my reviewers.

Kat, PinkTink89, and Kute Anime Kitty- Glad you like this story. I hope you continue to read it.

Nemo-I'm sorry you feel so strongly about the social worker that it makes you sick, but I'm not sorry that you are pregnant. It's a wonderful thing. Embrace it. My sister actually just found out that she is pregnant and I am thrilled about it. (Not just the fact that she'll actually get some weight on her scrawny self, either.) I hope you feel better soon.

Tian Sirki-That was the longest review I have ever received, not to mention the most flattering. I am so pleased that you enjoyed my story enough to print it out to read. I will accept the kudos for the kissing scene because it felt like the right time to put it in the story. However, I truly do not believe I deserve the rest of the praise you have bestowed on me.

Well, what did you think? For some reason, Jareth and Sarah are making me think of Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice." They certainly seem to have the same kind of hot and cold relationship. Can anybody else see that or is it just me? Did anybody notice Jareth's slip of the tongue? (Don't they call that a Freudian slip?) What kind of favor do you think Tanith will ask for? What will Sarah ask for? I will only update again after at least ten reviews. I know at least that many people are reading this story. (Okay, I hope that many are reading this.)


	13. Curiousity

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 13-Curiosity

Disclaimer-Caravel, Tanith, and Eliza are mine. Damn, I wish I had some nice characters.

Caravel paced around his study, deep in thought. It had been an impulsive move to visit Sarah, but well worth the outcome. The girl had more than exceeded his expectations. She had been honest and quick-witted, but it was her fiery personality that convinced him that she was perfect for his plans. He'd also witnessed that spark of jealousy when she heard about Jareth's almost marriage. Between her attraction to the Goblin King and her concern for her brother's safety, Sarah would not allow Tanith to intimidate her. Nor was she likely to let the woman terrorize her with magic.

This was what confused him. Unlike her brother, Sarah was not a fae. Yet, somehow, she had a great store of untapped magic in her. Where she gotten it was something only the archives could tell him. Luckily for him, he was one of the few who were actually privileged with access to them.

Like all fae, Caravel was naturally curious. He knew that the questions surrounding Sarah would pester him until he found the answers. With that thought in mind, he crossed the room and pulled a volume from one of his bookshelves.

Just as he suspected, there was her name in fine black ink: Sarah Williams. He quickly skimmed the information to find that she had been granted her power from Jareth. The news didn't surprise him as much as it once would have. He was about to close the book when he noticed the date Jareth had bestowed this gift on the girl. His eyebrows went up in amusement. "That's very interesting."

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Toby paced around his room. Sarah probably thought he was asleep by now, but he was too anxious to know what was going on downstairs. There was no sound of yelling so he assumed that things were going well. The only way to be sure, though, was to find out for himself.

It seemed like he had gotten very adept at spying on his sister and Jareth, but most of it was just bad timing. This, however, could decide his whole future. There was no way he was going to miss what was being said.

From where he sat at the top of the stairs, Toby could clearly hear what was being said. "At least he'll already know somebody when he gets there. I can be grateful for that much. Just do me a favor and keep an eye on him." The words startled him badly enough that he nearly fell down the stairs. Wasn't Sarah going to be there with him? Was she just going to hand him over like he was a stranger?

Any thoughts of that nonsense went right out of his head when he heard what Jareth had to say about that. "Are you just giving up on him? That doesn't sound like the Sarah I know and love."

Toby heard his sister defend herself, but he'd stopped listening. He was fixated on one particular word. Obviously, Sarah had not noticed, but he'd caught it right away. Deciding that they would work everything out easily, he snuck back to his room. He only had one thought on his mind. "Jareth said he loves her. It's about time!"

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Jareth's respect for her only grew when he heard the request she had. It was simple, but not altogether unexpected. It spoke a lot about her character that the one thing she would ask for was only to speak with her friends. It spoke even more of her that it was his three most loyal subjects that she had most quickly won over.

He nearly gave an immediate yes before remembering that he'd been the one to cut off their correspondence in the first place. It had been in a fit of jealousy and self-pity right after she'd left him. His anger had faded very quickly, but he hadn't bothered to undo the spell that prohibited their communication. It took him a moment, but only a moment, to decide how he wanted to answer without incriminating himself.

"It may take some time for me to arrange. The council has been watching my activities for some time now. I don't want to cut your visit short just because some diplomats decide that I'm not allowed to see you." He gave her a sly smile, one he hoped would help convince her that he had a point.

Sarah knew that what he said was true, but she could tell that he was hiding something. "To be honest, I wasn't sure you'd actually let me see them. After all, they were disobeying the all-powerful Goblin King when they helped me." She was teasing him and, from the expression on his face, he knew it.

He held up her hand so that he could kiss it. "If I am to get this accomplished soon, I have to leave now. I will see you in a few days."

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**Author's Notes**

Yeah, another chapter typed. It might have taken me forever, but I hope it was worth the wait. I had so much going on in the past few months, namely going back to school. (My financial aid was screwed up (several times), I ended up with no place to live, and they nearly dropped me out of my classes.) I'm just glad I haven't gotten any threatening emails about updating. Now, on to reader responses.

**Simone, mariedulongcre, InuLvr7, and notwritten**- Glad you like it. Hope this chapter is up to par compared to the rest of it.

**AvitarGirl**- hope this answers your questions.

**Enchantednight84 and Artemisdesari**- It's nice to see that somebody is enjoying Eliza and Tanith. Maybe I will put in something about how they know each other.

**Fester's Love**- Apparently you weren't the only one to notice. Let's just wait and see if Toby will try any more matchmaking.

**FaeriesMidwife**- That is actually one of my favorite parts of the entire story. I'm so glad that you like it as well. I really love your **Queen of the Gremlins** story. I am encouraging everyone to read that story. It is very well written.

**Tian Sirki**-You make me blush. I absolutely can't stand bad grammar and spelling in anything, especially fan fiction. If a story has a decent plot line, but the grammar is atrocious, I will stop reading it. As for supporting character development, you got to see a little bit of Toby and Caravel. As for Eliza and Tanith, they will probably have to wait for chapter 15. I'm already in the middle of chapter 14 and I don't think that they will be able to fit there. Don't despair, though. I have big plans for them.

I hope you really liked this chapter. Again, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. I am already working on the next chapter. If you can't tell, I'm trying to wind this fic down to an end, hopefully by chapter 17. I am asking for ten reviews again, but I'd like at least five of them to be for "Eyes Closed." I really want to know what you think about that. Plus, you can review twice, once for each story. Until next time, Kitty Rasputin.


	14. A Birthday Surprise

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer- I own a piece of gum and a green necklace, nothing more.

Chapter 14- A Birthday Surprise

It was Sarah's birthday, but she didn't feel like celebrating. Other than Toby, who had probably forgotten, she had no family to share it with. She had a feeling that the day was bound to be overshadowed by the conspicuous lack of parents, much like Thanksgiving and Christmas would be. She hadn't even mentioned the day to Jareth because of that.

It had been over two weeks since he had promised that she could see her friends. She hadn't asked about it since then because she knew that he was busy. In addition to his normal kingly duties, Jareth had also decided to officially take over Toby's education of the Underground. Every night he would come over and spend at least an hour showing Toby how to use his now-blossoming magic. Sometimes, Sarah would watch this instruction, especially when he explained the history and the etiquette of the realm. These things were important for both of them to know since she was also going to be living in the Underground. She still wasn't sure she was comfortable with the idea yet.

Several other things had been happening to put Sarah on edge, things she hadn't bothered to tell Jareth about. A strange-looking woman had been showing up at least once every other day. She claimed to be one of Eliza's lawyers, but Sarah wasn't buying it. There was something otherworldly about her, a kind of aura that Sarah wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't known Jareth already. Needless to say, she hadn't even let the woman inside the house.

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"Two weeks! It's been two weeks and the wench still hasn't let me in. How am I supposed to find some dirt on the girl if I can't even get into the house? I haven't even seen the boy yet." Tanith stomped around the parlor, getting angrier by the second.

Eliza watched the temper tantrum with thinly-veiled amusement. Her interest in Sarah had waned. There was no way a judge would take the boy away from her just because she had a boyfriend. To be honest, she had grown quite bored with the custody battle.

The sheer effort that Sarah put had been putting into keeping her brother was not lost on Eliza. She had thought that giving Toby everything he could possibly desire would make her feel better about the massive rift that had always been between her and her sister, Karen. Seeing the two of them together, though, she realized that taking him away from his sister would be just another tragedy for the family.

"She's a smart girl. She rarely lets the two of us spend any time alone. I dare say she has learned to watch the things she says and does."

Tanith stopped pacing for a moment and glared at Eliza. "I've realized that already. The wench is clever. I can't even see into her house. Even when she leaves the house, she rarely looks into a mirror. Any other girl her age would be worried about their appearance all the time."

Eliza could barely hold back her laughter. Because of her own vanity, she had become well acquainted with Tanith and her ferocious temper. Watching the fae woman get angry because Sarah was besting her with effortless ease was a great source of entertainment. "I'm actually ready to give up on this. The boy is obviously much better off with her. Maybe you should find something else to occupy yourself with."

"No! I can do nothing else until I've exacted my revenge! I won't stop until the girl is dead."

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Sarah sat in her father's study grading papers. She was teaching three classes at the local college this semester. The job wasn't glamorous, but it was helping to pay the bills. The phone rang, startling her away from her paperwork. The interruption made her both grateful and annoyed because she wanted to be done with the work as soon as she possibly could.

The conversation was brief, but alarming. After she had blindly hung up the phone, Sarah just sat there in stunned silence. She didn't even realize that she was crying until she felt the tears splash against her empty hands. When the door opened several minutes later, her vision was so blurry that she couldn't even see who it was.

"Sarah?" Strong arms enveloped her body and she leaned into them for support. He did not ask her what was wrong, choosing instead to let her cry as long as she needed.

"They've set the court date for Monday," she finally said once the tears subsided. "I may have less than a week left with him." She had not even allowed the idea to cross her mind until then that she would not get custody.

It only took a glance between her tired, stressed-out figure and the tall stack of graded papers for him to come to a decision. Despite her protests, he gathered her up in her arms and carried her upstairs. "Sarah, you are wearing yourself out. I know that you're just trying to help Toby, but you won't be able to help anyone if you keep pushing yourself so hard. I am ordering you to relax, at least for the rest of the night. Toby and I will make dinner while you take a bath or something." He noted her upraised eyebrow at the word "order" and was more than a little surprised when she didn't object.

"As you wish," she replied with a smirk similar to the one that usually adorned his face. They both laughed for a moment until she became serious again. "Jareth, I need to know how I can find a job in the Underground. We've never discussed it before and it's time that I found out what my options are. I have to support Toby somehow."

Jareth was speechless as he realized how Sarah never ceased to amaze him. He had not expected this scenario, but he already had a solution for it. He'd already thought up a proposition for her. Now wasn't the time for it, though. "I promise that we will talk about it before the two of you move to the Underground."

"I'll hold you to that. What's said is said." The words followed Jareth out to the hallway. He chuckled softly at them, once again grateful that Sarah was back in his life. Then, he hurried down the stairs. There was much he had to accomplish.

Sarah decided, once the Goblin King was out of sight, to take his advice. Whether anybody else knew it or not, it was her birthday. Just because she didn't want to celebrate didn't mean she had to work herself to death. Humming a tune to herself, she walked to the bathroom and prepared to take a nice hot shower.

It was only a short time later, but Sarah felt much better. The shower had done wonders for her aching muscles. She had even opted to exchange her nice teaching clothes for stretch pants and a sweatshirt. The enticing aroma of food helped move her toward the kitchen. "Hey, what smells so good? I'm starving."

The sight in the kitchen made her stop and stare in wonder. It had been transformed so that it looked very much like a room out of Jareth's castle. A bountiful feast was laid out on the thick wooden able, including a very delectable-looking cake. The light fixture had been changed into a dark chandelier, complete with lit candles. The stove, refrigerator, and other modern appliances had disappeared, making the table the absolute center of attention.

"What do you think, Sarah? I did it all by myself. Well, Jareth helped with the food. Do you like it?" Toby bounced up and down, waiting for her answer. He was dressed in fae clothes, tan breeches and a dark overcoat, and his hair was tussled in a similar fashion to Jareth's. The effect was rather startling and it took her a few minutes to form a coherent answer.

"It's amazing, Toby. You've come so far in such a short time. You'll probably be ready for the Underground in no time. You already look the part. Why the big production, though? We're not having a party, are we?"

"Of course we are," a silky voice said into her ear. Jareth stood behind her with a sly grin on his face and a package in one hand. "It's your birthday. There is almost no greater cause for celebration."

Sarah smiled shyly, completely unaware of how it lit up her features. "You didn't have to do this. I was completely prepared to forget about my birthday."

"Which is exactly why we're doing this, he replied smoothly. "Come now, Sarah, I've brought you a gift. Don't you even want to see what it is?"

"Will I have to give up my baby brother?" The words slipped out before she remembered how much she now trusted him. The horror she felt made her cover her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Gently, he removed her hands and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "My dear, you have nothing to apologize for. I have been cruel and everyone in this room knows it. There should not be stipulations on presents. Nevertheless, if you insist on giving me something, I'll take a kiss, but only after you open this." He shook the box at her.

She took it from him, unsure of what she would find inside. The olive green fabric was soft to the touch and she carefully lifted the dress out so she could see all of it. It wasn't quite as elaborate as the white ballgown she had worn. In fact, it looked like a grown-up version of one of her old costumes. There was also a cloak and a matching pair of tall boots made out of light gray material. In the bottom of the box was an amulet on a thin chain. "Jareth, it's all so beautiful. I wasn't expecting this. I wasn't expecting anything. Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

The dress and the boots fit perfectly, almost as if every inch of her had been measured. The thought made her blush and she turned to the mirror. For just a moment, the reflection was not her own. She blinked and the apparition was gone. Ignoring the warning bells that went off in her head, she picked up the amulet and clipped it around her neck. The dark green stone felt warm against her skin and she vowed to ask Jareth what it was.

The dinner was fun. Toby pleaded with Jareth until he demonstrated how to juggle the crystals. They talked and laughed about some of the friends that Sarah had made in the labyrinth. She described in great, horrific detail the look and smell of the Bog of Eternal Stench. At that point, Jareth explained how he had never actually put anybody into the bog. It was just a very good threat.

As Sarah began cutting into her meat, a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Jareth, where exactly did you get this chicken?"

"Oh, it was in the throne room," he answered absently. When he looked up, though, he was grinning wolfishly. "I would have thought you'd be more worried about the cake," he said, gesturing to the delectable chocolate concoction. "It's a special recipe that calls for peach wine."

In response to the unspoken challenge, Sarah reached out with her fork and took a bite-sized piece of cake. It practically melted in her mouth and was so incredibly delicious that she closed her eyes in ecstasy. "That is the best cake I've ever tasted. I may have to exercise after this meal is over."

Jareth had waited to find an excuse for this. "Maybe you would like to go for a walk with me later. For now, I would like to propose a toast." He raised his goblet and stared intently at the woman across from him. "To Sarah. May she get everything that she wishes for."

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**Author's Notes**- Another chapter done and closer to the end. I hope the wait hasn't been too excruciating for my faithful readers. Now for the response to my loyal reviewers.

**Fester's Love, InuLvr7, kitsmauels, AvitarGirl, notwritten, and Artemisdesari**- I'm glad all of you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you liked this one just as much.

**Yodeladyhoo**- I did not wish to offend anybody and was not trying to force any of my readers to read "Eyes Closed." Like I said in my conclusion to that story, I had to write that poem for my creative writing class. I just wanted some opinions from people who are actually interested in "Labyrinth". Now, when I said I was planning to finish this in four chapters, I was not planning on cutting anything out. I just estimated the length it would take to finish it. I also have everything (well, almost everything) figured out.

I hope this chapter has been as decent as all the others. I promise that the end will come before the end of the semester, even if it kills me. I should have a new chapter up in a few weeks, hopefully before Easter. Until then, ciao.


	15. Interruptions

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Chapter 15- Interruptions Aplenty

Disclaimer- I don't own the characters of Labyrinth. They belong to someone much luckier than I.

"Dead? You never said anything about killing the girl! I never agreed to physically harm her. You can forget about having my help anymore. In fact, you can just leave my life alone."

Tanith glared at her. "You ungrateful mortal. This is the second time that you have refused my help. You wished to be beautiful and I tried to help you. And now, you won't let me help you get custody of your nephew. I should have turned you into a tree when you broke our agreement the last time."

Eliza was shrewd, if nothing else. "That may be true, but we had no agreement this time. You have no power over me. Now, get out of my house."

"I will have my revenge against the girl without your help," Tanith snarled. "She will die before the night is over." She disappeared before she could say anything else.

Without hesitation, Eliza rushed to her car. She didn't especially like Sarah, but she had never wished her dead. She had to get to her before Tanith.

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Jareth wrapped the cloak around Sarah's shoulders and smiled down at her. He wanted to tell her just how beautiful she looked, but held back. It was obvious that she had something on her mind. They said goodbye to Toby and started off on their walk.

It wasn't long before Sarah shared what she was thinking. "Why don't we ever talk about what happened between us in the labyrinth? We have never said a single word about it."

Jareth had never really thought about it before. He had not wanted to bring up the subject because he was unsure of what her reaction would be. "I don't know. What would you like to discuss?"

Even in the pale moonlight, it was obvious that Sarah was blushing. It took a few minutes for her to answer him. "I'd like to learn more about the ballroom. Was it real or was it just a dream? I mean, it felt real. I felt like…." She trailed off, not wanting to admit the emotions that had been evoked in that room.

Jareth looked at her sharply. The ballroom was where he truly admitted to himself that he was in love with her. If she had experienced even a fraction of the feelings he had in that place, it was no wonder that she was blushing when she brought up the subject. He opened his mouth to ask what she had felt and found himself asking an entirely different thing, although he admitted to himself that the two things were very much related. "Would you dance with me, Sarah?"

She stiffened as if she'd just gotten an electric shock and sucked her breath in. He had held her in his arms. They had even kissed several times. Dancing was a completely different matter altogether, though. She had a sinking suspicion that she wouldn't be able to conceal her feelings from him in that position. It was too close, too intimate, especially after what had happened in the ballroom. She would have gladly given up everything for him in those few moments. The clock had struck, however, and she came to the realization that it was just another ploy. That didn't stop her from replaying the scene in her mind whenever she could. She just wasn't sure if she wanted to relive it. "There is no music," she finally stammered.

Jareth watched her reaction carefully. She was scared, but of what he had no idea. For the first time, he could not see the willful girl who had defied him, denied him, and so easily dominated his entire existence. Before him was a fragile woman whose control over her own life was tenuous at best. He wanted nothing more than to see her smile at that moment. "Don't worry about that. I can sing for us."

Neither of them had noticed until then that they were outside the graveyard. It was oddly fitting, especially since it was where he had first come back into her life. Without a word, Sarah stepped through the open gate and made her way back to her favorite bench. She silently stared at it for a few minutes. Then, she turned and let Jareth lead her into the dance.

He sang softly so that only the two of them could hear the words. Both of them were afraid that something was going to break the magic spell, that the other would wake up and decide that there were more important things to worry about. It felt so much like the last time they had danced that it mad Sarah wish that the dance would never end. She was falling deeper in love with him every second. It had been torturous these last few weeks to be so close to him and not let her feelings show. She suddenly realized that it would be even harder to hide them once she was back in his realm.

"I can't do it, Jareth," she said, untangling herself from his arms. "If I said I could, I would be lying. I won't be able to live happily in the Underground. I'm sorry."

He caught her arm before she could run away from him. There was something serious going on. Up until now, she had raised no serious objections about moving to the Underground with Toby. In fact, she had been very enthused about the whole idea. "Darling, I'm not going to let you go until you tell me why you have suddenly changed your mind."

"My lady, we have arrived!" The brief seconds of silence between them were shattered by the yell. Jareth could have strangled the fox for the untimely intrusion.

"Hush, Didymus. You're going to ruin the surprise." The gravelly voice was as grumpy and moody as ever. They had worked hard to set this up and he didn't want to waste all the time and energy that they had put into it.

"Surprise?" Ludo's thick and slow voice sounded so confused that it made Sarah giggle. There was the crunching of dead leaves and cracking of twigs as the three of them moved around.

Sarah moved out from under the tree so they could find her. She could hear Jareth's sigh of exasperation behind her and realized that the timely interruption wouldn't last long. As soon as her friends left, he would again be asking her questions that she didn't want to answer. "What are you doing here?"

"Jareth said that you wanted to see us, so we came here. We've missed you. Happy birthday, Sarah!" Hoggle noted the Goblin King was glaring at him and he shifted under the gaze.

"I've missed you, too." She went around and hugged them, blinking back tears as she did so. It had been so long since she had seen them. And now that she had decided that she could not return to the Underground, she didn't know when she would see them again.

The entire time she visited with her friends, Sarah could feel the pair of eyes on her. She did not dare to turn and look at him for fear that he would be able to decipher her feelings. It was a cowardly thing to do, backing out like she was doing. She felt that she had no other choice, though. She would not be able to maintain just a friendship with him if she did go back to the labyrinth with him.

The time passed too quickly and soon Sarah had to say goodbye to her friends. She tried to delay it as long as possible, but they couldn't stay any longer. They had to get back to the Underground and she needed to go home to Toby. Reluctantly, she hugged them one last time and watched as they walked away.

"Sarah?" From the tone of his voice, Jareth was ready to talk about why she didn't want to move to the Underground anymore. He could not fathom any reason why she would want to stay.

She turned to him suddenly. "Just where exactly am I going to live in the Underground?" Her voice was so full of anger that Jareth was taken aback by it.

"You'll live in the castle with me, of course." He was naturally confused by both her anger and why this even mattered to her.

"Can you see why that's a problem? I don't want to give Toby any wrong ideas. He is still a child and you've seen how quickly he can come to conclusions. I don't want to put him into an environment like that." She was exasperated because he had assumed that she wouldn't have any objections to living with him.

Jareth was starting to understand her reasoning, but, before he could respond, they were once again interrupted.

"My, my, are the two lovebirds fighting already," a mocking voice said.

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**Author's Notes**-One more down and closer to the end. I think it will be a relief when I finally finish this. I am grateful for those that have stuck with me this far or have just started reading it. I hope this chapter has had enough fluff for those craving it. It was needed at this point. Now, on to the review replies.

**InuLvr7, AvitarGirl, kitsamuels, notwritten, and enchantednight84**- I'm glad you enjoyed that last chapter. I hope this one also holds up to your standards.

**Artemisdesari and yodeladyhoo**-No, Eliza isn't interested in Toby anymore. Tanith's plan for Sarah really had nothing to do with him either, except as a way to hurt her. Also, I don't know if Descartes will show up anymore, except maybe as an afterthought.

**Fester's Love-**The proposition from Jareth probably won't come until the last chapter. It's worth the wait, though. Trust me on that.

**Mistress Eden-**I am glad that you find my perspective unique. I was worried that it would be overused.

**Crystal Shores**- You make me blush with your praises. Unfortunately, I have not published anything yet. That doesn't mean that I am not working on it, though. I have several ideas that I would make good books. I just haven't tried getting them in book form yet. Thanks for the confidence in my writing.


	16. A Grave Situation

"What You Wish For" by Kitty Rasputin

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the labyrinth, only the idea of what might have happened after.

Chapter 16-A Grave Situation

Eliza felt like she couldn't make her car go fast enough. When she finally made it to Sarah's driveway, she parked the car and, without even turning off the engine, got out and ran for the door. She beat on it for several minutes until Toby finally opened it. "Is Sarah here?"

The panic must have showed on her face because Toby immediately let her in. "She's not here. Why? What's going on?"

"She's in danger. Do you know where she is? How can I find her? I've got to warn her before Tanith tries to kill her. Where do you think she could have gone?" Her voice held a note of desperation.

"Tanith?" Toby had picked up on the name. He knew without a doubt that this was no joke. They had already been warned about Tanith and he assumed that Sarah had not told Jareth about the incident. "She's going to kill Sarah? We have to stop her!"

Within two minutes, they were in the car and headed down the road. Toby didn't even bother to ask how she knew Tanith. He was too worried about his sister's life.

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Jareth stared at the woman in fury. He should have known that she would try something like this. Regardless of whether or not she knew it Sarah's birthday, she would have been waiting for her to be far from home. The fact that he was with Sarah must be a bonus.

"Why don't you mind your own business," Sarah snapped. She guessed immediately who this woman was and could not have been angrier at the interruption. She glared at Tanith, trying to discern what Jareth could have ever seen in her.

Tanith was taken aback by the girl's hostile attitude. She had thought that Sarah would be confused, maybe even afraid, from her sudden appearance. This dismissive anger that radiated from the girl infuriated Tanith. She was royalty and this was a nobody. "This is my business! He should be mine and you stole him away from me!"

Jareth looked slightly amused at this, but his voice still had a hard edge to it. "That's funny. I don't remember giving anyone possession of myself. Besides, I left you at the altar long before Sarah ran my labyrinth. Now why don't you go away so we can finish our finish our conservation in private?" He waved his hand dismissively, knowing that it wouldn't be that easy to get her to leave.

Tanith slowly turned purple with suppressed rage. "You should not be with her! The council will throw you out your own kingdom for breaking the law once again." She took a few steps closer to them. "Maybe I should just cure you of this crazy obsession right now. Maybe I should just kill her."

Jareth quickly stepped between the two women, not wanting to risk the life of the woman he loved. He was willing to even die for her if he had to. "Run home, Sarah, and don't look back."

The words made Sarah freeze like an animal that had stumbled into a hunting camp. Her mind kept replaying the phrase over and over as she remembered the last time she had heard it. She was rooted in place, physically incapable of moving away. She opened her mouth a half a dozen times before her words came out in a shocked whisper. "It was you?"

The fae woman chose that moment to attack Sarah. She threw several shards of a broken mirror at her with deadly accuracy. Thankfully, Sarah had gotten over her surprise and tried to jump out of the way. A few of the shards managed to brush against her arms and one of them nicked her cheek, though, leaving her bleeding. Upon seeing this, Jareth immediately tried to shield her.

"Stop this, Tanith! She has done nothing to you. Your fight should be with me." He managed to stall her long enough for Sarah to duck behind one of the headstones for cover.

"You're lying! I know that she's the reason you decided not to marry me. You had been watching her long before she ran your labyrinth because you knew so much about her. You could not have found out everything about her in only a year. You'd had contact with her before we were to be wed!"

Sarah reached out to the headstone as she caught her breath. Even to her untrained ears, she could hear the hysterical insanity in Tanith's voice. The fae woman had gone over the edge with her obsession. She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping for an idea that would get them out of the graveyard and away from the crazy fae woman. It was then that she noticed it.

The stone she had her hand on, which should have been half frozen in the cold November air, was warm to the touch. The feel of it sent heat throughout her body and suddenly she was not afraid anymore. She did not question this sudden sense of power. Instead, she held tighter to the stone. Then, she launched herself from her hiding place at Tanith.

The fae woman was caught off guard. She recovered quickly, though, and began grappling with Sarah. She wanted to get some distance between them so that she could send another spell at the girl. Sarah was not letting up, though. She managed to get in several hits, all the while feeling the strange warmth spread through her body. Somehow, she knew that maintaining contact with Tanith was paramount to her survival.

Jareth watched the two women fight with astonishment and a growing sense of horror. Tanith could not have expected an attack. It was inconceivable that a mortal could survive against a fae as skilled in spellcraft as Tanith was. The only thing that was keeping Sarah from being killed outright was the fact that most of Tanith's spells could only be done at a distance. If he interfered, Jareth would just be putting Sarah back in harm's way. He stared at her in shock, finally noticing the change that was occurring.

"Sarah!" Toby's shout managed to surprise all of them. He ran through the graveyard towards the trio. After a moment's pause, Tanith turned her attention to him.

Sarah could see the deadly intent in the fae woman's face. Desperately, she tried to redirect the attention back to herself. Just as Tanith unleashed her spell, Sarah grabbed a handful of her red curls and pulled on it as hard as she could. The ploy worked too well and Tanith began taking out all of her frustrations on the girl.

The spell she had directed at Toby had gone wild when Sarah had pulled her hair, but had still managed to catch his overcoat on fire. Jareth rushed over to the boy who had become as dear to him as if he were his own child. Together, they managed to put it out without getting burnt by the flames. They looked up just in time to witness Tanith plunge a knife into Sarah's side.

Jareth felt his heart stop as he watched the woman he loved crumple to the ground. He barely heard Tanith's maniacal laugh of victory because his entire focus was on the raven-haired beauty at her feet. He closed his eyes in anguish when she didn't move after a moment.

"Your little mortal girl is no good to you now. See what you've done to her. She is dead because of you, because you did not marry me. You put my entire family to shame." Her rantings were almost hysterical in nature. She waved the bloody knife around as if it were some kind of trophy.

"Toby, you need to get away from here. I don't want you to see what's going to happen." The Goblin King sounded almost deadly. The one reason he had for happiness was gone. He had been so close to what he wanted and Tanith had taken that away. He was going to make sure that she knew just how devastated she had made him.

"Jareth, look!" Toby's excited whisper got his immediate attention. He opened his eyes. The sight that met his eyes made his heart leap into his throat and he nearly cried out. Sarah was standing behind Tanith, bleeding profusely from her side, but clearly alive.

"You really should make sure that somebody is dead before you start doing a victory dance." Sarah slugged the fae woman in the face. There was the sound of cracking bone as her knuckles hit Tanith's jaw. The force of it sent her sprawling into the dead leaves where she struggled to get up, her face red from anger and embarrassment.

All of a sudden, half a dozen fae soldiers appeared out of nowhere and seized Tanith. Caravel stepped forward from the shadows. "My dear, you are being charged with an unwarranted attack on a fae royal. This is a violation of the peace treaty and you will be tried for your crimes accordingly."

"A royal? That little bitch isn't even fae! You know this is true. Now, let me go!" Tanith fought viciously against the soldiers, a murderous glare in her eyes.

He raised a well-sculpted eyebrow and calmly stared back at her. "That may be true, but her brother is fae. Also, he has been named as an heir to the Goblin King. Since you did try to injure him, you are guilty of the crime that I have previously mentioned." He gestured to the guards and they disappeared with Tanith. "I don't think that she will bother either of you again. The council tends to frown on attempted murder. Besides, I enjoyed watching you hit her." With a bow and a grin, he slowly faded away.

Sarah looked at the spot where he had been standing, then back to Jareth. Her voice was shaky because of the amount of blood she had lost. "What did he mean about Toby being your heir?" She couldn't even muster up a decent glare because, at that point, she passed out.

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**Author's Notes- **I would apologize for the long wait in between chapters, but I'm not sorry. I have been very busy with school work and even somehow made the dean's list. I like how this chapter turned out, though. I am not even sure how the final chapter will turn out because I haven't started writing it yet. I hope that this satisfies everyone's curiosity for now. I promise that the ending will be very good.

**Festers love**-I'm sorry to keep you hanging. I will try to get out the next chapter fairly soon. I do think that a month between updates is not bad, especially for someone in college. I hope this chapter holds up with the expectations of the characters.

**Yodeladyhoo**- I was glad to make Caravel show up for you. As you could probably see, he was there to help Jareth out, but his reasoning for it will be explained in the next chapter. I don't know about seeing Descartes again, but there will most likely be an explanation about Tanith and Eliza's back story. I will try to put Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus in the last chapter, but I am not sure how they will show up.

**AvitarGirl**-I loved the singing Jareth too! That was one of my favorite parts to write just because of how romantic it is.

**Notwritten and gymgurl520-**I'm glad that you liked it and I hope you like this update as well.

**Saz89**- I hope this update also makes your day. Jareth and Sarah will most definitely get to finish that conversation….in the next chapter. Also, I'm positive that she sees him like that, but doesn't want to believe it. (Oops! I hope I didn't give anything away.)

**Dragoon-Yue**- I think that the slip that you mentioned was where Jareth said something about "That doesn't sound like the Sarah I know and love." She didn't notice that he said "love." Also, there was not continuity error. Just because Sarah admitted that she wanted to kiss Jareth doesn't mean that she has admitted anything else. She's more than a little stressed right now and very confused about everything.

That's it for now! I will work hard to get the big finale perfect for all of my faithful readers. Also, thank all of you for reviewing. I cannot believe that I've made it to almost 100 reviews. Thank you all so much!


	17. Resolution

Sarah awoke to a brightly lit room. Instantly, she thought that she was in the hospital. She vividly remembered the night before, at least until she had passed out. The room, however, did not have the sterile white walls of a hospital. Instead, they were painted a dark blue and there were thin gauzy curtains over the windows. The bed was made of mahogany and Sarah was covered with down blankets. It most definitely was not the hospital, but it wasn't Sarah's room either.

Struggling to get up, Sarah felt almost no pain. She put her hand on her abdomen and could not feel any stitches or bandages. The door to the strange room opened and, suddenly, Sarah was even more confused. Eliza stepped through the doorway carrying a tray of food. She smiled cheerfully when she saw that Sarah was awake. "I'm so relieved. Those two boys finally managed to leave you alone for two minutes. I swear I practically had to chase them out of here so they could get their own rest." She noticed Sarah's concerned and nervous look and made a move to explain. "I offered to help look after you. I think Jareth was in a little bit of shock at the graveyard. He brought you Underground in an effort to see if he could get you healed. You were in pretty bad shape when we left. We were all really worried that you wouldn't make it."

"What time is it?" Sarah's voice was hoarse and Eliza handed her a glass of water. She didn't feel tired at all, almost as if she had been completely rejuvenated in her sleep.

Eliza laughed briefly. "In Underground time, it's about five in the afternoon on Tuesday. You've been asleep for days." She tried to slide that news in easily, but Sarah started choking on her water. "Don't worry. I took care of your work as a substitute teacher. I told them that you had a family emergency. Also, I talked to the judge yesterday. I told him that you were the only possible guardian for Toby. It seems that he agreed with me. Congratulations and good luck. You now have custody of your brother."

"Why are you helping me?" Sarah was genuinely confused about that as much as anything else. She had dozens of questions, but this was one of the few that Eliza could actually answer.

The older woman shifted underneath Sarah's steady gaze. She realized that only the truth would be appropriate. "I figured that I owed it to you. It's partially my fault that Tanith came after you. She and I have a prior acquaintance. A long time ago, I made a very stupid wish, but the price that Tanith asked for granting it was too high. This time, she wanted to help me get custody of Toby. In the beginning, I really did think that he would be better off with me. I even tried bribing that social worker. It's because of Tanith that I am the way that I am. She backed out of our agreement that first time, despite what she may say to the contrary. I stopped trusting in the good of people and that's why I live alone. I thought getting custody of Toby would change all of that. I kept watching you with him and I started to see myself in you. Once upon a time, Karen and I were actually much closer. She knew about what had happened with Tanith, though, and she never forgave me for it. She always distrusted magic and fantasy after that. I had just decided that I was going to give up my claim for custody when Tanith said that she was going to come after you. I just wish Toby and I would have gotten there sooner."

Sarah could see the genuine regret in the woman's eyes. She also could understand, especially after seeing how psychotic Tanith was, the risk that Eliza had gone through to help her. Her mouth quirked into the beginnings of a smile. "At least now I know why Karen always hated my daydreaming. I think the only reason she let me read fairy tales to Toby was that my father wanted me to." She reached out to grasp the other woman's arm. "Thank you for helping me. You really didn't have to."

Eliza stood up, leaving the tray of food on a bedside table. "It was nothing. Besides, at least I got to see some of the Underground again. I'd better let you eat now. There are others that have been waiting to see you and I don't know how much longer I can keep them out of this room."

Sarah looked over at the meal as Eliza silently closed the door behind herself. There was roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn and peach cobbler. Suddenly, she was absolutely starving. She dug in with gusto, having not eaten anything in days. Just as she finished scraping the last bit of food from the plate, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," she called, expecting to see either Toby or Jareth. She had a feeling that they had been waiting impatiently for her to wake up. To her surprise, though, it was neither of them. "Hoggle!"

The little dwarf stood nervously in the doorway, twisting his cap in both hands. "Hello, Sarah. I see you're finally awake." At her welcoming smile, he finally decided to venture into the room. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. Jareth left strict orders that you was not to be disturbed."

"Of course not. Please tell me what has been going on Hoggle. I want to hear all of the news. Eliza didn't tell me anything about what has been happening, other than the fact that I've been asleep since Tuesday."

"Well, the council has taken back the law that stops fae and humans from being around each other. That woman, Tanith, might be banished from the Underground now. The council has enough evidence to keep her far away from you and Toby. They were just going to keep her away from your brother, but that was before you healed yourself. Now, they are just trying to figure out what they are going to do with your brother since he became fae. For some reason, they don't want the two of you to stay in the labyrinth."

"Wait a second. Did you just say that I healed myself?" Sarah's voice was full of alarm and her face paled as she realized the implications of that statement. The shock on Hoggle's face only made her more worried.

"I've got to go. I didn't tell you nothing. You didn't hear that from me." Hastily, the dwarf backed towards the door and disappeared before Sarah could even think to call him back.

"That's it. I'm going to find out what's going on right now. Something strange is happening here and I need to know what it is. If Hoggle won't tell me, I'll make Jareth do it." She slid out of bed, only then noticing that she was wearing a nightgown. She opened the closet to find something more suitable to run around in. To her dismay, it was only filled with colorful and extravagant gowns. She finally found one that was plainer than the rest, a dark blue satin one that had matching slippers. After quickly running a brush through her hair, she stepped out into the hallway, determined to find some answers.

Sarah wandered the hallways looking for somebody that could tell her where she could find Jareth. For ten minutes, she made her way aimlessly around the castle not seeing anyone. Then, just as she was getting ready to give up, she rounded a corner and bumped right into the person that she was looking for.

"Sarah, I was just coming to see you. Eliza told me that you were awake." For a brief second, he looked completely relieved. Then, his face clouded over as he realized something. "You shouldn't be walking around like this. You've barely been awake for an hour. You need to take it easy." Without warning and ignoring her protests, he swept her up into his arms and carried her back to her room.

"Jareth, I am fully capable of walking. I haven't lost any of my muscle functions in the past few days. I just came looking for you because I wanted to find out what has been going on the few days. Eliza and Hoggle won't tell me anything." She didn't feel like she was lying to him since they really had not told her what she had wanted to know, only vague statements that had gotten her curiosity aroused.

Jareth's face tightened up just slightly, but it was enough for her to notice. "Well, the good news is that the council has no problem with you staying in the Underground with Toby. The law that was supposed to keep me from interacting with humans has been repealed. The only one that really pushed for that law to get passed in the first place was Tanith. The council conceded that she has lost her mind, especially after she tried to kill you. Now, you won't ever have to worry about her coming after you again." He gave her a sideways look, as if he were trying to decide whether or not to say what was on his mind. "Caravel told you that Tanith might come after you, didn't he? Why didn't you say anything to me about it?"

Sarah ducked her head, avoiding eye contact. "I didn't want you to worry. I can take care of myself, you know. Besides, you were already risking a lot just to see me. I figured that you had enough to worry about already." Suddenly, she snapped her head up to glare at him. "Why didn't you say anything to me about saving my life in London?" Her voice was accusing.

He stared at her in shock. He had no idea how she had found out that it had been him that night. He had tried so hard to remove the entire event from her memory so that she would not have to relive it. Apparently, he had failed miserably. His words to her at the graveyard came back to haunt him as he realized that they were the exact same words he had used the night he had come to her rescue in the city. "I never thought that we would meet again. For all I knew, you hated me for what had happened the last time that we had met. I was not about to stand back and let him hurt you in any way, though. I never could have let you be harmed when there was something that I could have done about it."

He reached out to brush the hair back away from Sarah's face, but she jumped up from the bed, narrowly evading his touch. She paced around the room, lost in her own thoughts about the night that had haunted her life for so long. "I thought that somehow I had killed him! Can you imagine that, Jareth? I only remembered what he tried to do to me. For the longest time, I couldn't even remember how I got home. When I read about the police finding his body in that alley, I thought that I must have somehow done it. I thought that I had actually killed a man, Jareth!"

She was nearing hysteria so he gathered her in his arms and held her close until he felt that she was calming down a little bit. "I never wanted you to remember a single moment of that night. I'd been watching you ever since you left here, but that was the only time I dared interfere with your life, at least until I found you in my family graveyard. I did it not only to protect you from him, but also to stop you from doing something without ever intending to." He stopped speaking abruptly, not yet wanting to have that particular conversation.

Sarah, unfortunately, had noticed a change in his demeanor and she pulled away enough so that she could see the expression on his face. She noted how tense his face had become and how he tried to avoid her searching gaze. "Tell me what I could have done, Jareth." It was a whispered command. It still held enough power to instantly grab his attention, though. "Tell me what it is that prompted you to come back into my life like that."

He ducked his head at her words, almost as if he were embarrassed to be saying this. "Despite what you may think, I have been in your life for a lot longer than just the few hours you spent in my labyrinth. In fact, it is because of you that I broke off my engagement to Tanith. I saw you in the park one day, rehearsing some fairy tale with yourself as the heroine, of course. You were a wild and free girl, oblivious to the real trials of the world. You were so innocent at that point. In the fae court, that is something that I had never encountered. That day, I gave you certain powers that you did not know of. Then, I came back to the Underground to break it off with Tanith. I watched you grow from that time until the night that you wished Toby away. It was not because I was watching you, but because of those powers that I had given you that made me appear that night. It was your wish that I take Toby away and I had to obey that wish. Unfortunately, that was not the only words I had to abide by. When you said that I had no power over you, you were right. At that point, I was physically incapable of holding you in the Underground." He looked her right in the eyes. "Without meaning to, you put power into your words and make them true. I was trying to stop you from doing that in London. It's possible that you could have done much worse to that man, or even yourself, than I did. Because I gave you this power, it was my responsibility to watch over how you used it. That's part of the reason why I interfered that night."

It took her a few minutes to make any comment. When she did, it was the last thing he expected to hear. "You gave me some sort of power on the day that you broke off your engagement with Tanith? No wonder she came after me." She glanced down at her hands, for the first time unsure of what she was even doing. "These powers, are they what healed me? Hoggle said that I healed myself. Is that what did it?" He looked away from her again. That was enough to tell Sarah that the powers he had given her were not in any way responsible for her recovery. "What happened to me, Jareth? I don't feel the same anymore. Did Tanith do something to me?"

"No, it wasn't Tanith that did something to you." His voice was so soft that she almost didn't hear him. He noted the alarmed look on her face and hastened to reassure her. "You are physically fine. Something happened the other night that I didn't expect, that's all."

"What happened? I need to hear it no matter what, Jareth. Just go ahead and tell me." There was a strength and stubbornness in her voice that hadn't been present since her run through the labyrinth. It was easy to tell that she was preparing herself for the worst.

"Fae graveyards are very magical places. They even hold more magic than most of the places Underground. It is especially true when they are family graveyards. When Tanith attacked you, I was doing everything in my power to protect you. Apparently, this thought, this wish, became apparent to my ancestors. Because I wanted to protect you, they wanted to protect you. When you touched one of the tombstones, it instilled you with more power than I had ever planned to give you. That is what saved you from dying at Tanith's hands. You've been given an incredible gift, Sarah, but I don't know if you are going to like it at all. You've been turned into a fae."

She felt like she couldn't breathe. Surely, Jareth had to be joking. It couldn't possibly be happening to her. Before she could formulate any response, before she even had time to contemplate the full implications of this news, Toby walked into her room. One look at his face told her that Jareth was being completely serious. "What does this mean," she finally managed to say. Toby and Jareth shared a look and she realized that they had probably gone through a similar conversation when her brother had found out that he was a fae.

Jareth held Sarah's hands in his own, hoping that she would find comfort in that small gesture. "Nobody is exactly certain how this will physically affect you. Most of the humans that become fae, like Toby, are children. There have been a few that were teenagers. There has never been an adult changeling before, though. Coupled with the etiquette of the Underground, the circumstances behind your change have nearly all of the council members in an uproar. They are declaring that you cannot live in my realm since it was somehow my fault that you became fae." His mouth twisted into an amused smirk. "They are painting me as some sort of cruel villain. Can you believe that?"

Sarah managed a smile and even a small laugh. At one time, she had thought the same thing about him. "Where am I supposed to live, though? You promised to help Toby learn about the Underground. Are they going to force us to find somebody else to teach him?"

"No, Sarah. They still agree that I am the best tutor there is for Toby. It's you that they don't want to stay here." He noted her confusion and understood the reason why. "Underground etiquette, in fact, the laws, state that you can't live in my castle because neither of us has a spouse and we are not related by blood. It is a stuffy old tradition, but even I have to abide by the rules sometimes."

"I understand," she said in a small voice. She did understand, all too well, what others would think if she started living with the Goblin King. She herself had been having those same thoughts not long before this. "I still think it would be best for Toby if he learns from you, so maybe he can stay here and visit me on weekends and holidays." She looked over at her little brother, knowing that she would have to give him up so shortly after receiving custody of him. "I know that it's not an ideal situation, but there doesn't seem to be anything else I can do."

"Toby, can you give your sister and me a few minutes alone?"

"Sure," the eight-year old announced with a sly grin that Sarah couldn't possibly interpret. As soon as the door closed behind him with a loud bang, Jareth turned back to the woman beside him.

"You're just going to give up that easily, after everything that you've just been through? I didn't think that you would accept defeat on so simple a problem. I have thought of a solution, Sarah, but I want you to think about it before you decide. I don't want this to be something that you do just for Toby's sake." He hesitated, watching her face for any sign that she recognized where this conversation was leading. "The council would have no issues with you living here if we were legally related."

"What? You want to adopt me?" Sarah's voice was teasing, but the look on her face was one of complete wonder and disbelief.

"I have loved you for longer than you have even known me and I can't imagine what my life would be like without you in it. I nearly died when I thought I had lost you. Sarah, will you please consent to be my wife?"

By this time, tears of utter joy were streaming down her cheeks. "This is so unreal. It's beyond everything that I could have ever wished for. Yes, of course I will marry you!" She threw herself into his arms, realizing that she had never felt more at home than in this moment. "I love you, Jareth."

He chuckled against her hair. "That's good because we're going to be together for a very long time." Then, he kissed her.

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**Okay, so I know it's been a few months since I've updated, but stuff happens. The most important factor was that I had limited internet availability. That, and a severe case of writer's block. Anyway, this is the last chapter of the story. I hope that everyone has enjoyed this because I certainly enjoyed writing it. To all of my faithful reviewers, I am glad that you have stuck with me for so long. It has been quite a run, but I am glad it is finally over. Thanks to everyone that has ready any part of this. As for what is ahead for me, there may be a couple of one-shots and I may rewrite "Eyes Closed" and turn it into a full story. For now, this is goodbye and good luck.**

**Kitty Rasputin**


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